Victor Wembanyama sat courtside with his multicolored knit cardigan, stealing the spotlight. He didn’t stand tall on the floor for the San Antonio Spurs. The fresh unanimous DPOY is in the NBA’s concussion protocol after falling face-first in Game 2 vs the Portland Trail Blazers. However, his restrictions didn’t stop him from making his feelings clear to the rivals.

Now, in a video shared by Fullcourtpass on X, Wembanyama leaned in from the sideline during Game 3 and said this to Trail Blazers players: “Y’all woulda been down 4-0.” That single moment (read: heckling) says it all about Wembanyama’s mindset in this series. He dropped 35 in the opener, rewriting the franchise’s history. And powered San Antonio to a 111-98 win.

Honestly, Portland looked out of answers in the first game, and Victor Wembanyama played as he knew it. Then Game 2 added a new twist to the series. Wemby attacked the paint, collided with Jrue Holiday, and crashed face-first onto the floor. He got up and walked off, but never returned. From there, momentum cracked.

San Antonio unraveled, coughing up a 14-point fourth-quarter cushion as Portland stormed back to steal it 106-103. Well, it’s safe to say that the 22-year-old big man turned the San Antonio Spurs into a powerhouse in 2025-26, driving a .781 win rate, roughly 50-14, when he played.

However, even without him, they held strong at .667, about 12-6, still playoff-level. The real twist lies deeper; with Wembanyama on the floor, their defense tightened dramatically, improving by 16.7 points per 100 possessions, which ultimately separated a good team from a serious contender.

Therefore, Wembanyama’s presence does make a difference for the Spurs. But even without him, they held the fort in Game 3 of the playoff series. All thanks to the likes of Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle.

San Antonio took a 120-108 win without Victor Wembanyama

The Portland Trail Blazers controlled the early rhythm, heading into halftime up by 6, then stretching the gap to 15 in the third quarter as the Moda Center roared. At that point, Victor Wembanyama’s sweep talk felt like fuel on Portland’s board. However, momentum began to tilt. The Spurs regrouped, tightened their grip, and started chipping away, turning a hostile night into a brewing comeback story.

Then, Stephon Castle erupted for 33, while Dylan Harper added a career-high 27 off the bench. Together, they delivered 60 points and powered a dominant 61-43 second half. As a result, San Antonio secured a 120-108 win, a 12-point swing, and a 2-1 lead. Moreover, Harper etched history, becoming the second-youngest to score 20+ off the bench in the playoffs, alongside 18-year-old Kobe Bryant.

Now, Victor Wembanyama’s status for Game 4 remains unclear. He has to clear certain symptom-free benchmarks before receiving sign-off from both the team physician and an independent league specialist. However, the Spurs fans would be hopeful about their star boy’s return.

So, Wembanyama made his message loud without stepping on the floor. Even while sidelined, he stayed at the center of it all, poking the rivalry and backing his team’s edge. Meanwhile, San Antonio proved its depth and resolve under pressure. However, the story now hinges on clearance. If he returns, the tone sharpens. If not, the fight still holds with a 2-1 lead now.