Inside The Spurs

No Wembanyama, No Worries: Spurs Top Thunder in NBA Cup Battle

On Tuesday night, the San Antonio Spurs secured a home victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Mathey Gibson

Nov 19, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) passes the ball in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
Nov 19, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) passes the ball in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
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On Tuesday night, the San Antonio Spurs secured an important victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup, despite the absence of Victor Wembanyama, who is recovering from a knee contusion sustained during the team's matchup with the Lakers last week.

With Wembanyama out, several players stepped up to fill the gap.

Keldon Johnson came off the bench and had a major impact, adding 22 points on 7-for-15 shooting to lead the team. Johnson's contribution was key in providing the Spurs with the offensive support they needed throughout the game.

Veteran Harrison Barnes had a productive night, contributing 20 points on 6-for-12 shooting.

Chris Paul continued to show his value, recording another double-double. Paul contributed 14 points and 11 assists, maintaining his role as the aging floor general for the Spurs.

His steady leadership and ability to distribute the ball efficiently were crucial in orchestrating the offense, especially with Wembanyama sidelined.

For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his strong play, finishing with 32 points on 11-for-20 shooting, alongside four rebounds and four assists.

However, the game was a challenging one for Spurs rookie Stephon Castle, who struggled with his shot, finishing with 10 points on 3-for-13 shooting, along with six turnovers, two fouls, and eight assists.

Castle did effectively seal the game with a fourth quarter block on Gilgeous-Alexander, though.

San Antonio finished the game shooting 47% percent from the field and 41% percent from beyond the arc.

With the victory, the Spurs now move to 7-8 overall and 6-3 at home, while Oklahoma City falls to 11-4 overall.

The team will return to action Thursday at 7:00 PM as they take on the Utah Jazz at home.

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Mathey Gibson
MATHEY GIBSON