Victor Wembanyama made a triumphant return, fueling a tight Spurs victory and dealing a rare setback to the NBA’s sizzling Thunder. After a 12-game layoff with a strained left calf, Wembanyama dropped 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds, energizing San Antonio just as Oklahoma City appeared poised for a historic run. The win, sealed 111-109, vaulted the Spurs into the NBA Cup final and handed the Thunder only their second defeat in their last 12 outings.
This dramatic showdown sets up a final Tuesday night against the New York Knicks, who will challenge San Antonio for the cup title. Oklahoma City, whose previous loss came at Portland on November 5, entered the game riding a 16-game winning streak and now sits at 24-2—second only to Golden State’s 2015-16 start (25-1) in league history.
The Thunder arrived in Las Vegas riding high, but the game echoed last year’s Cup final in tone, a reminder that even dominant teams can be tempered by a single standout performance. Wembanyama, who drew enthusiastic “M-V-P” chants from the Spurs faithful, logged a plus-21 in 21 minutes of action despite a minutes restriction enforced for the comeback game. His presence alone shifted momentum, and his teammates capitalized.
San Antonio got a spark from Devin Vassell, who poured in 23 points, while De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle added 22 apiece, providing the steady scoring to complement Wembanyama’s all-around impact. For Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 29 points, with Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams contributing 17 each in a hard-fought, back-and-forth affair.
Wembanyama’s earlier absence had Spurs fans adapting to a different rhythm, but the coming-out party was unmistakable. He entered with season averages of around 26 points and 12.9 rebounds and immediately translated his impact beyond the box score. Early in the second quarter, he drew roars from the crowd as he shed his warm-up pants, signaling a new era moment in a high-stakes game. Even with the Spurs trailing at halftime, his seven minutes in the frame yielded a plus-20 rating, underscoring his ability to influence play in limited minutes.
San Antonio’s resilience showed in the opening moments of the second quarter and again after halftime. They closed the first half with a 13-point burst to narrow the gap, then used a 10-point run in the third to reclaim a lead at 62-56, setting the stage for a nerve-wracking final period.
Up next
Spurs: Face the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup final on Tuesday night.
Thunder: Welcome the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
