Sometimes it feels like the NBA has some of Hollywood’s best screenwriters working in the league office. It’s hard to think of a more climactic NBA Cup semifinals than the league’s defending champions, who have only lost one game all season, vs. an up-and-coming, scrappy team getting back the most exciting young player in the world. Basketball fans will be in for a treat when the San Antonio Spurs take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Las Vegas. The Thunder’s story has been told many times. After winning the Finals last year, the team has been unstoppable. They are 24-1 with the best net rating in the NBA, dominating on both ends of the court. They won their NBA Cup quarterfinal matchup with the Phoenix Suns by nearly 40 points. They are unequivocally the best team in the league and are the favorites to win the Cup. But anything could happen with Victor Wembanyama suiting up for the Spurs. San Antonio throttled the Los Angeles Lakers to get a chance at the Thunder. They played some of their best basketball of the season. Now they’ll be at full health for the first time this year. Wembanyama has played well against the Thunder in the past, seeming to have a chip on his shoulder when facing rival big man Chet Holmgren. The Spurs will need a star performance from Wemby if they want to compete with the league’s best. A chance to play for the NBA Cup, and the cash prize that comes with it, hangs in the balance. San Antonio Spurs (17-7) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (24-1) December 13, 2025 | 8 PM CT Watch: Amazon Prime | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM) Spurs Injuries: Harrison Ingram – Out (G League), David Jones-Garcia – Questionable (G League), Victor Wembanyama – Probable (calf), Riley Minix – Out (G League) Thunder Injuries: Isaiah Joe – Out (knee), Thomas Sorber – Out (knee), Nikola Topic – Out (illness) What to watch for: Taking care of the rock The Thunder is the best defensive team in the league. They thrive on disrupting their opponents’ offense, creating turnovers, and scoring easy transition baskets. OKC is 2nd in the NBA in steals (10.2 per game) and forces 17.9 turnovers per game. While the Spurs have gotten better at reducing turnovers, they are still prone to silly mistakes. Those errors could snowball quickly against the Thunder and bury the Spurs. They have to take care of the ball if they want a chance to upset OKC. Stephon Castle’s fouls Castle will certainly get the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander matchup on Saturday night. He’s been the Spurs’ go-to defensive stopper all season, and SGA will be his toughest matchup yet. Much like Luka Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander is known for his foul-baiting. He’s always looking for a way to draw a foul and get to the line. Castle, on the other hand, has struggled with foul trouble all season, averaging 3.7 a game. Castle is too important on both ends of the floor to be taken out of the game due to fouls. His discipline on SGA could be a deciding factor on Saturday. A team, fully realized San Antonio is finally fully healthy. This is the first time Mitch Johnson will get to actualize whatever rotation he envisioned coming into the season. It’s strange to think the team will be playing with each other for the first time, in the biggest game of the season so far, against the best team in the league. How will the guard trio of De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Castle gel with Wemby? Do we see much of Luke Kornet sharing the floor with Wembanyama? Does Wemby’s return mean Jeremy Sochan will be back in the rotation, given their chemistry? There are so many questions. Ones that will likely get answers over the course of many games, not just one. But it’s interesting and promising to finally see the team at full health. ...read more read less