Victor Wembanyama makes a triumphant return, lifting the San Antonio Spurs into the NBA Cup final with a dramatic win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The French rookie, who was sidelined for 12 games due to a left calf strain, poured in 22 points and added nine rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in 21 minutes of action as the Spurs held off the reigning champions 111-109 in Las Vegas.
“I knew my minutes would be limited, so I had to maximize every possession,” said the 21-year-old Wembanyama, while his teammate Devin Vassell contributed 23 points.
“Beating a team like this isn’t just about a single game. It’s a collective effort, and it’s never easy.” he added. “Their season’s only had a few hiccups, and this win carries real meaning.”
The NBA Cup represents the league’s annual in-season tournament, with all games—except the final—counting toward regular-season standings.
Oklahoma City’s hopes were dashed after a 16-game winning streak ended by the Spurs, who also knocked the Thunder from last year’s Cup final. After going 24-1 through 25 games, OKC matched the best possible start to a season up to this point, a mark second only to Golden State’s 25-1 pace in 2015-16, following their quarterfinal win over the Phoenix Suns.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s reigning MVP, led OKC with a game-high 29 points.
San Antonio will face the New York Knicks in the final after the Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic 132-120.
Jalen Brunson erupted for a season-best 40 points to pace New York, with Karl-Anthony Towns contributing 29.
“We showed up with exactly the mindset we wanted—play Knicks basketball,” Towns commented, underscoring the team’s shared game plan.
