Spurs star Victor Wembanyama avoids flagrant foul for shoving Knicks guard

NEW YORK - Spurs star Victor Wembanyama won't receive a flagrant foul for shoving the Knicks' Jalen Brunson in Game 3 of the NBA Finals following a league review of the play, ESPN reported late Tuesday night after receiving word of the decision from an NBA spokesperson.

The shove happened late in the first quarter of the Spurs' 115-111 victory, which left New York with a 2-1 lead series lead. The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama shoved the 6-2 Brunson to the ground when the Second-Team All-NBA guard attempted to set a screen near the top of the key. Wembanyama wasn't whistled for a foul, which angered coach Mike Brown and his players, including Brunson, who pointed a finger toward Wembanyama after he got up off the court.

Earlier Tuesday, NBA senior vice president of referee development and training Monty McCuthchen told ESPN that Wembanyama should have been hit with a foul. But in a decision that likely will raise eyebrows in the Knicks camp, the league decided not to upgrade the no-call to a flagrant.

The decision is significant because players who reach four flagrant points are subject to an automatic suspension. Wembanyama already has two flagrant points after he elbowed Minnesota's Naz Reid in the neck and jaw in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. That play resulted in an automatic ejection after Wembanyama got hit with a flagrant foul 2 for excessive contact above the neck.

Wembanyama did not face any further discipline from the league beyond the ejection.

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