NBA Cup: Wembanyama returns as Spurs beat Thunder, advance to Championship vs. Knicks.

Following six weeks of competition, the 2025 NBA Cup now features two finalists: the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.

Both squads secured their spots in the Saturday championship match of the in-season tournament, held in Las Vegas, by emerging victorious. The Knicks overcame the Orlando Magic, propelled by an outstanding performance from Jalen Brunson, while the Spurs triumphed over the Oklahoma City Thunder in a memorable encounter.

The final contest for the NBA Cup is slated for Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. This match will not impact regular-season standings, yet it will determine which team’s athletes will each claim in excess of half a million dollars.

The Thunder’s record now stands at 24-2, following their defeat by Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs

When the NBA initially envisioned the NBA Cup, an ideal outcome could have involved the league’s leading team competing against one of its most prominent talents in a December playoff-like environment.

This vision materialized on Saturday, bringing with it even greater excitement.

In what could be considered the season’s premier game, the Spurs orchestrated a 16-point comeback, inflicting only the Thunder’s second loss of the current season. This feat was achieved in Victor Wembanyama’s initial game returning from a calf ailment, with every moment of his restricted playing time proving essential.

This defeat halted the Thunder’s impressive 16-game winning streak, moving their overall standing to 24-2. While they remain on track to surpass the NBA’s all-time regular-season victories record, instances of underperformance are bound to occur.

Scarcely any contests have highlighted the profound impact – the altered dynamics of the playing area – that the presence of the 7-foot-4 French player brings. Despite still being on a restricted regimen in his first appearance in a month, Wembanyama was limited in minutes and remained off the court for the entirety of the first quarter. Consequently, the Spurs found themselves behind 31-20 by the end of that period.

Wembanyama joined the match during the second quarter, participating in brief intervals. The game transformed dramatically whenever he was present. All at once, the restricted area became less accessible for the Thunder’s offensive drives. Instantly, opponents were compelled to monitor the court’s tallest individual closely. And just as quickly, he began executing plays such as this:

The Spurs posted a 21-point advantage over the Thunder during Wembanyama’s time on the court, and conversely, were outscored by 19 points during his absence. His final stat line included 22 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks across 21 minutes of play.

Beyond Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and De’Aaron Fox each contributed 22 or 23 points. The Spurs managed to unsettle the Thunder to a degree rarely seen this season (that is, a slight to moderate level of unease), limiting their shooting to 41.3% overall and 24.3% from beyond the arc on 37 attempts.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 29 points, but required 23 field goal attempts to reach that total, converting merely four free throws.

During the period in which the Thunder achieved 68 victories in the 2024-25 season, secured their inaugural championship, and commenced the current season with a 24-1 record, a significant query has emerged within the NBA regarding their potential long-term challengers. The question arises: how does one defeat a squad poised to win approximately 70 games, especially when they are youthful and possess additional draft selections to strengthen their roster?

The Spurs presented a compelling argument for being that very team. While the current dominance rests with OKC, Wembanyama might convincingly lay claim to future supremacy as his growth continues.

Jalen Brunson’s stellar performance propels Knicks to NBA Cup championship berth over Magic

The New York Knicks have advanced to the elimination stage of the NBA Cup in all three editions of the competition. They are now poised to compete in their inaugural championship match, largely owing to Jalen Brunson’s contributions.

Fueled by 40 points and eight assists from their All-Star backcourt player, the Knicks prevailed in an intense, high-scoring Eastern Conference semifinal contest against the Orlando Magic,

The Magic, who started the game positioned fifth in the NBA for defensive effectiveness, were significantly exploited by the Knicks on defense, perhaps more so than by any other opponent this season, even with New York hitting just 7 of 20 attempts from beyond the arc. The unavailability of defensive specialist Franz Wagner was a notable factor.

Furthermore, the situation was compounded when Jalen Suggs, another key defensive player, departed the game visibly troubled in the fourth quarter. The Magic subsequently declared his status as questionable to return due to a sore left hip, though he ultimately did not rejoin play.

Below is a comprehensive account from Yahoo Sports covering the events of the 2025 NBA Cup semifinals: