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Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday Nic Batum, Robert Covington, and Lonnie Walker IV! 🎉

Game Recaps

Spurs outduel OKC 111-109, snapping 16-game win streak

There’s a rivalry brewing in the West, and the conference isn’t big enough for the both of them.

On Saturday, the Spurs dealt OKC their second loss of the season in a thrilling NBA Cup semifinal, previewing a matchup that could shape the league for years to come. Victor Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence, scoring 22 PTS off the bench and adding a pair of blocks. De’Aron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Devin Vassell also added 22+ PTS each for San Antonio, who advance to the in-season tourney title game.

Shai managed 29 PTS for OKC, but the Thunder struggled from beyond, connecting on just 24% of their threes. A letdown game was bound to happen for the red-hot reigning champs, who are still 24-2 and on pace to challenge the all-time wins record. With two more faceoffs between these two squads on deck this month, including one on Christmas Day, we’re definitely feeling the holiday cheer.

Knueppel and Miller combine for 54 PTS, lead Hornets to 119-111 OT win over Cavs

Picking a favorite young scorer in Charlotte is almost as hard as stopping them.

The Hornets earned an OT win over Cleveland on Sunday night thanks to big nights from two of their rising stars— rookie Kon Knueppel scored 29 PTS, while Brandon Miller added 25. But the more impressive feat was Charlotte’s defense: the Hornets did not allow a single basket in the overtime period, shutting the water off on the Cavs to earn their 8th win of the year.

Cleveland got 26 PTS from Darius Garland and 17 from Donovan Mitchell, but both shot under 50% from the field. Despite ranking top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating, the Cavs are just 15-12 and have struggled to win games when Mitchell doesn’t carry the offensive load. There’s still time for Cleveland to get right, and we know what they’re capable of at their best.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

• The other NBA Cup semifinal also came with plenty of fireworks. The Knicks are one of the league’s best offensive teams, and they showed why in a 132-120 win over Orlando that saw them shoot over 60% from the field as a team. Jalen Brunson led the way with a season-high 40 PTS while Jalen Suggs and Paolo Banchero each had 25+ for the Magic.

• The Nets have won four of their last six games, including a 45-point win over Milwaukee on Sunday night that tied the franchise’s all-time mark for margin of victory. The 127-82 dub over the Giannis-less Bucks was led by a pair of youngsters, with rookie Egor Denim notching 17 PTS and Noah Clowney adding 16.

• In a matchup of East playoff hopefuls, the Hawks got the better of the Sixers 120-117 behind a 27-point, 10-rebound performance from Dyson Daniels. Joel Embiid followed up his season-best 39-point performance from Friday night with 22 PTS in 30 minutes, while Paul George turned back the clock with 35 PTS including 7/10 from three. Quentin Grimes couldn’t connect on a go-ahead three-pointer on the game’s final possession, giving Atlanta a tight home win.

• Having a player like Anthony Edwards is a luxury. Learning how to win without him is a lesson— but it’s one the Wolves seem to have learned. On Sunday, Minny rolled by Sacramento 117-103 as five players scored 18+ PTS (Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Bones Hyland, and Donte DiVincenzo). It was their second straight win without a pair of key guards: Ant sat out with a day-to-day foot injury, while Mike Conley missed with an Achilles issue.

Filling the Cup

After tons of unforgettable action over the early portion of the season, the NBA Cup final is here. Let’s break down Tuesday’s big-time matchup between the Knicks and Spurs.

👀 Slow the Tempo

Both New York and San Antonio are effective offensively (the Knicks rank second on ORTG while the Spurs rank eighth), and they each employ a methodical approach to generate good looks. Both rank in the bottom half of the league in pace, with New York among the league’s slowest teams at 26th. The key is their shot selection and shot making— the Knicks are sixth in EFG% (56.4) while the Spurs are eighth (56.). Look out for a lot of great sets and smart decision-making from both offenses.

👽 Watching Wemby

Against OKC, Victor proved he can make a major impact even in limited minutes. Now, the question is how limited he’ll be. Wemby is still recovering from his early-season calf strain, meaning San Antonio will likely be cautious with him even in a big-time faceoff. There’s no telling what Tuesday will look like for Vic after he logged just 21 minutes against OKC, but the extent of his availability could swing the matchup.

♥️ Playing with Hart

The Knicks are 9-1 over their last 10 games, a run that began when Josh Hart was re-inserted into the starting lineup. The Nova product has been highly productive since then, racking up four games with 4+ threes to go along with his typical rebounding tenacity. Hart’s larger role has also helped out his longtime teammate, Brunson, who has scored 30+ PTS in each of his last four games. These college buddies may just turn the tide…

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a portion of your time with us. This week, try to be patient through the ebbs and flows of life. Just like an injured player making their return, sometimes long processes yield great results. See you soon!

Walker Carnathan