The San Antonio Spurs, with the return of Victor Wembanyama from a 12-game absence, defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 111-109, putting a stop to the Thunder’s 16-game winning streak in the NBA Cup semifinals on Saturday.
In celebration of the win, San Antonio went into full party mode, with Miley Cyrus' “Party in the USA” blaring in the locker room, per ESPN’s Tim McMahon.
Oklahoma City entered the matchup with a 24-1 record, carrying the second-longest winning streak in the league behind the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors’ 25-1 start. The Thunder had last lost to the Portland Trail Blazers, 121-119, on November 5, and came into the semifinals after a 49-point rout of the Phoenix Suns in the quarterfinals. On Saturday, however, the Spurs showed they were not to be underestimated.
Wembanyama, who had been recovering from a strained left calf, came off the bench for the first time in his 130-game NBA career. He sat out the opening quarter, during which San Antonio was behind 31-20. The 21-year-old entered the game at the start of the second quarter, and the Spurs got a much-needed boost, going on a 9-2 run and then closing the half with a 13-0 spurt. By halftime, San Antonio had closed in to 46-49, as Wembanyama racked up a stunning +20 plus-minus in only seven minutes on the floor.
The 7-foot-4 French phenom finished the night with 22 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, and two assists across 21 minutes. The difference he made was clear, as San Antonio outscored Oklahoma City by 21 points when Wembanyama was on the floor and was outscored by 19 when he was off the floor. His presence forced the OKC into difficult shots, holding them to 41.3% from the field and just 24.3% on 37 three-point attempts.
Helping carry the load alongside Wembanyama, Devin Vassell scored 23, and both Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox added 22. Luke Kornet came up big on defense, including a crucial chase-down block in the final minutes. For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a team-high 29 points on 23 shots, with Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren contributing 17 points apiece.
The game was tense down the stretch, with Wembanyama re-entering for a final push in the last five minutes. Strategic fouling kept Oklahoma City from a tying three-pointer in the closing seconds, allowing the Spurs, who trailed by 16 points in the second quarter, to escape with a two-point win.
The victory advanced San Antonio to the NBA Cup final, where they will face the New York Knicks on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Although the NBA Cup does not affect regular-season records, the championship will determine substantial financial rewards for the players.
