San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama exited Game 2 early after suffering a concussion. His injury status for Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers is currently questionable. We will update the status as more information becomes available closer to Friday's 7:30 p.m. tip-off at the Moda Center.
San Antonio will be playing without guard Jordan McLaughlin, who is listed out with a left ankle sprain. The Blazers have a clean sheet, except for Damian Lillard, who remains out as he continues to recover from his torn Achilles. So all the spotlight will be on Wembanyama, as it's somewhat surprising he's listed as questionable after suffering the injury on Tuesday.
Victor Wembanyama going through shooting drills with the rest of the team at Spurs shootaround. He is questionable to play tonight in Game 3 with a concussion. pic.twitter.com/MnmJZs6Na2
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) April 24, 2026
Portland is currently listed as +3.5 home underdogs on DraftKings Sportsbook, but that line seems to account for the possibility of a quick return. If Wembanyama does suit up for Game 3, the Blazers will have a difficult time keeping up with the star power of San Antonio. If he's out, it suddenly becomes a must-win situation.
This becomes a must-win game if Victor Wembanyama is out
Few expected Portland to be in this situation, as a team on the outside looking in on the playoff race just a few weeks ago. Now, they find themselves with a chance to take a 2-1 series lead on a talented, but young and inexperienced Spurs team.
Adding to the excitement around Portland's growing upset chances is talk of Lillard's return. Should the Blazers find a way to extend the series or, better yet, sneak into the second round, there's at least a possibility of Lillard coming back sooner than expected.
Odds are we won't see the Blazers' superstar until the start of next season. Still, The Oregonian's Bill Oram reported that it's "not impossible" Lillard returns for this playoff run as the Blazers remain open-minded.
Any possibility of a return could quickly go out the window if San Antonio bounces back from a stunning Game 2 loss and wins these two road games at the Moda Center. Going down 3-1 with a healthy Wembanyama at that point would be too tall a task to overcome, especially since Portland would have to win two of those next three games on the road.
That's why it's essential for Portland to head back to San Antonio either up or tied in the series. If they can find a way to at least split these two upcoming games in Portland, hopes of a series upset remain alive.
The likelihood of that becoming a reality depends heavily on Wembanyama's status, as this is the most important injury update of the season for both teams.
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