The league remains hopeful that the NBA Cup will be a hit with fans, who will surely be ecstatic with the response to this year’s semifinals.
The Oklahoma City Thunder lost to the San Antonio Spurs 111-109. The entire NBA world is watching this back-and-forth, high-stakes matchup.
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The Defending NBA Champions is must-see television. With rumors of a 70-win season getting louder, they’re chasing history. Fans across the league view them as the top villains.
Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama returns after missing 12 games with a calf strain. He made it back in time for the NBA Cup semifinals. It’s a great experience for the Spurs, as they will likely get their first playoff ticket this year with a young team.
Vunbanyama came off the bench in a limited role and brought energy and confidence to the team in the upset. He scored +21 in 21 minutes. During this time, he began to rant about the Thunder. Whether it’s a play on Cason Wallace, telling Alex Caruso he’s too small to guard him, or taking a subtle shot against Chet Holmgren.
So, does this mean the Thunder-Spurs rivalry is back? These two NBA teams dominated the 2010s as championship contenders. The San Antonio Spurs could repeat this history in the 2020s once their experience catches up with their young talent. Wembanyama is already a top-five player, which should help close the gap.
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Wembanya, who is preparing to face the New York Knicks in the 2025 NBA Cup Finals, doesn’t think the Spurs can match the Thunder. The Thunder are ahead of them in accolades and talent.
“I don’t think we’re quite there yet, but it’s a good sign that people are seeing that it’s possible because we’re not a No. 2 seed right now. I don’t think anybody can claim to compete with them in the conference right now,” Wembunyama said. “They are in a class of their own.”
While this is a mild answer, I bet most Thunder and Spurs fans would disagree. The former may have a better team, but the latter can put up a fight. If players like Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper continue to make leaps, they could become contenders in no time.
The 2025 NBA Cup semifinals are the first of three games in two weeks between the Thunder and Spurs. The Thunder will travel to San Antonio for a game on December 23 and then return the favor when the Spurs come to the city on Christmas Day.
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It will be interesting to see how the Thunder react after their second loss. You can bet they had this game circled on their calendar after their trip to Las Vegas was cut short.
“But in the future, if we can provide such a good stage and we get to this level, of course it would be great to have competition because if you are at the top and there is competition, it means you are in the best position to win the championship,” Wembanyama said. “I’m interested in that.”
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Victor Wembanyama isn’t ready to say Thunder-Spurs rivalry is back
