Victor Wembanyama picked up a Flagrant 1 foul for an elbow to Karl-Anthony Towns’s chin in the third quarter during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Although it looked inadvertent, it could turn into a critical call over as the Spurs and the Knicks continue to duke it out for the Larry O’Brien trophy.
That’s because the NBA applies a specific set of disciplinary measures to prevent players from accruing a large amount of flagrant fouls in the regular season and the playoffs. For flagrants, the league has a point system where players are given one point for each Flagrant 1 foul and two points, an automatic ejection and automatic fine for a play deemed a Flagrant 2.
Players receive an automatic one-game suspension for receiving four flagrant points. The point system is the same for the regular season and the playoffs, while the points do not reset after each round of the playoffs. That’s significant for Wemby who already received a Flagrant 2 for his elbow on Timberwolves forward Naz Reid in the second round.
He was automatically ejected after that play, but did not receive a suspension or any further disciplinary action. The elbow on Reid, however, still comes into play as it gave Wemby two flagrant points. He picked up his third flagrant point on Wednesday due to the elbow on Towns. He’ll have to be careful the rest of the way as one more flagrant foul would subject him to an automatic suspension.
The league has the authority to look at the play after the game and upgrade, downgrade or fully rescind the flagrant foul if deemed necessary. A Flagrant 1 is defined as unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent. This play fits the bill, but the league could decide to rescind it to drastically minimize the possibility of Wemby triggering the automatic suspension. The series’ biggest superstar sitting out a game would be brutal, but rules are rules and that could set a horrible precedent if a flagrant is rescinded based on a player’s status.
Furthermore, Wemby got away with a potential flagrant after he took Jalen Brunson to the ground in Game 3, a move that the officiating crew undoubtedly missed.
The league reviewed that play and decided that it would not upgrade the push to a flagrant according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. If that play was upgraded after the fact, Wemby would be looking at a one-game suspension already.
What’s truly working against Wemby is the two flagrant points for the aggressive frustration foul on Reid earlier in the playoffs. After that move, one Flagrant 1 would put him on the verge of suspension and another Flagrant 2 would cross the line. The NBA has a big decision to make following Game 4, but for now, Wemby is in serious danger of an automatic suspension if he’s not careful the rest of the way.
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