Preview: Suns Face Spurs in NBA Cup Finale

The Phoenix Suns are looking to advance to the knockout stage tonight.

Nov 2, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) greets San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) following the game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns (11-8) are back home for one more game before taking to the road tonight against the San Antonio Spurs (11-9) in what is the final group contest in the Emirates NBA Cup group stage play.

The Suns are coming off of a dominant 113-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors, which the Spurs secured a dramatic 127-125 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

Bradley Beal and Jeremy Sochan are expected to return for their respective squads - so that should be kept in mind as well.

A brief focus on how the Spurs have played as of late, a highlight of the return of former member of the Suns franchise, and a prediction of the result will round out this game preview.

Spurs Are Surging

San Antonio has won five of their last six contests since November 19 - including victories over the Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder in the midst of this stretch of quality play.

This coincides with the return of Devin Vassell - who has averaged 16.7 PPG on 44.7% from behind the arc in those 6 games. Vassell is quite possibly the Spurs' second best player, so it doesn't feel like much of a coincedence that the team has improved since his return.

The most vital development is that of Victor Wembanyama, who is becoming a superstar before our very eyes.

Wembanyama has averaged 26.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists since the start of November - while also averaging nearly 5 steals/blocks per night.

Part of this recent surge has been the rise of a consistent three-ball in the second-year pro's arsenal - the French product is truly a threat from anywhere on the court now.

His blend of DPOY-level defense and emerging elite scoring arsenal has made him a game-changing player already. The Suns cannot discount that in any fashion tonight.

Chris Paul Returns to Phoenix

The Suns legend is now in his second season since departing the Suns via the Beal trade last summer - and has largely thrived in San Antonio.

One of the best point guards in league history has predictably been instrumental in the growth of Wembanyama, while the 39 year-old is also arguably shooting his best since his days as a Houston Rocket - draining 37.5% from three-point range on 5.2 attempts per game - as well as knocking down all 31 free-throw attempts so far in his 20th season.

Paul has also played some of his most inspired defense in years - which likely is just proof of the symbiotic pairing that is in place with Wembanyama.

All of the talk that Paul is near the end of his career has been proven very faulty to this point of the season.

Prediction: Suns Win

The Spurs cannot be discounted as a free win - especially after taking three of four games against Phoenix last season with a far worse squad in place.

However, this feels like a night in which a Grayson Allen or Royce O'Neale will step up to compliment Kevin Durant, Beal, and Devin Booker en route to securing a massive win in an effort to move into the knockout state of the NBA Cup for a second consecutive season.

Suns-Spurs is set to tip off shortly after 7 P.M. local time tonight