Victor Wembanyama Returns to San Antonio Spurs Lineup for Game 4 Against Portland Trail Blazers

Apr 26, 2026, 19:55

Introduction

Victor Wembanyama has been cleared to play in Game 4 of the first-round playoff series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Portland Trail Blazers after completing the NBA's concussion protocol.

Main Body

The injury happened during the first half of Game 2 on Tuesday, when Wembanyama suffered a concussion after hitting the floor hard. As a result, he missed Game 3 on Friday, although the Spurs still won 120-108. This victory gave San Antonio a 2-1 lead in the series and brought back their home-court advantage. While Wembanyama was out, Luke Kornet started and recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper contributed 33 and 27 points, respectively. To return to the court, Wembanyama had to pass specific neurological tests based on evaluations from the start of the season. His recovery involved a gradual increase in physical activity, starting with light cardio 24 hours after the injury and moving to more intense exercise from Thursday to Saturday. Finally, the Spurs and the league gave him medical clearance on Sunday afternoon. Wembanyama is a key player for the Spurs, leading the league with 3.1 blocks per game and averaging 25 points and 11.5 rebounds this season. He is the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in history and is a finalist for the MVP award. Although the team performed well during his regular-season absences, his presence is seen as essential for their success in the playoffs. However, Chris Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation, has criticized the speed of the return, emphasizing the risks of returning to competition too quickly after a brain injury.

Conclusion

The San Antonio Spurs enter Game 4 with a 2-1 series lead and their star defender back in the lineup, while the Portland Trail Blazers hope to tie the series before the action moves back to San Antonio for Game 5.

Vocabulary Learning

concussion (n.)
Brain injury from impact腦震盪
Example:He suffered a concussion after colliding with the floor.
defensive (adj.)
Related to preventing attacks or protecting防守
Example:He leads the league with 3.1 blocks per game, a defensive skill.
protocol (n.)
Set of rules or procedures to follow協議
Example:The team followed the concussion protocol before returning to play.
recovery (n.)
Process of getting better after illness or injury康復
Example:His recovery involved a gradual increase in physical activity.
unanimous (adj.)
All agree or support全票
Example:He is the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in history.

Sentence Learning

Victor Wembanyama has been cleared to play in Game 4 of the first‑round playoff series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Portland Trail Blazers after completing the NBA's concussion protocol.
Passive Voice: The verb phrase 'has been cleared' is in the passive voice, indicating that Wembanyama is the recipient of the action performed by an unnamed agent.被動語態: 句子中的動詞片語 'has been cleared' 為被動語態，表示Wembanyama是被動接受動作的對象，動作執行者未明確指出。
Although the team performed well during his regular‑season absences, his presence is seen as essential for their success in the playoffs.
Contrast Conjunction: The word 'although' introduces a clause that contrasts with the main clause, showing that despite the team's good performance, Wembanyama's presence is still crucial.對比連接詞: 'although' 引入一個與主句形成對比的子句，說明儘管球隊在他缺席期間表現良好，Wembanyama 的存在仍然至關重要。
While Wembanyama was out, Luke Kornet started and recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper contributed 33 and 27 points, respectively.
Conjunction: 'while' is used twice to indicate simultaneous actions, linking the two clauses that describe what happened during Wembanyama's absence.連接詞: 'while' 兩次使用，表示同時發生的動作，將兩個描述Wembanyama缺席期間發生事件的子句連接起來。