Wemby Powers San Antonio Spurs To NBA Cup Final Against New York Knicks
The third annual Emirates Cup Championship is set for Tuesday, Dec. 16, in Las Vegas, with the New York Knicks facing the San Antonio Spurs.
On Saturday, Dec. 13, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the Spurs, led by 7-foot-4 center Victor Wembanyama, handed the Oklahoma City Thunder only their second loss this season, snapping a 16-game Thunder winning streak.
The Spurs’ 111-109 semifinal NBA Cup win was powered by Wembanyama, who returned to action after sitting out 12 games with a calf sprain. Playing limited minutes on Saturday against the Thunder, Wembanyama was an intimidating force on defense and hit key shots to help his team overcome a 16-point first-half deficit. In a reserve role, Wembanyama inspired his team by coming off the bench to score 22 points in only 21 minutes of playing time. He also contributed nine rebounds and two blocked shots.
In Saturday’s other NBA Cup semifinal in Las Vegas, the Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic, 132-120, behind a 40-point performance from 6-foot-2 guard Jalen Brunson.
The two semifinal winners—New York from the East and San Antonio from the West—square off Tuesday in the 2025-26 NBA Cup championship game. The game will air on Prime Video at 8:30 p.m. ET.
NBA Cup In Third Year
The NBA Cup is a league-wide tournament that takes place during the regular season. Players on the championship team earn more than $530,000 per person, while each player on the runner-up team collects about $212,000, according to published reports.
In the first-ever NBA Cup tournament, held during the 2023-24 season, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers, 123-109. The Lakers’ LeBron James was named the tournament MVP.
The next season, Milwaukee Bucks beat the Thunder, 97-81, with Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks winning the MVP award.
The NBA regular-season playoffs conclude in June 2026. Oklahoma City is seeking to become the first back-to-back NBA champion since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.
Betting Resources
