Wembanyama returns off the bench as Spurs edge Thunder to reach NBA Cup final

Victor Wembanyama had not played successful astir a month. On Saturday nighttime successful Las Vegas, helium returned successful a mode helium ne'er had before: disconnected the bench. He entered astatine the commencement of the 2nd quarter, the archetypal clip successful his vocation helium did not start, past helped San Antonio bushed the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder 111-109 to scope Tuesday’s Emirates NBA Cup final.

Afterward, helium cracked a grin and floated a question that matched the moment. “Can you triumph the MVP and the Sixth Man [of the Year award] successful the aforesaid year?” helium asked.

Wembanyama finished with 22 points successful 21 minutes arsenic the Spurs erased an aboriginal 16-point shortage and handed the favored Thunder lone their 2nd nonaccomplishment of the season. Devin Vassell scored 23, portion Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox added 22 apiece.

Defense, health, and a measurement forward

Vassell framed it arsenic a radical win, particularly aft a acold commencement from deep. “We did it unneurotic arsenic a team,” helium said. “It wasn't conscionable 1 person. We started disconnected 0-for-10 from the 3-point line, but we settled successful and we started getting immoderate stops. And we bent our chapeau connected the antiaircraft end. I deliberation we showed that we tin guard.”

For the Spurs, the bigger communicative mightiness beryllium health. “It's our archetypal clip playing [with] everybody [healthy],” Wembanyama said. “We were already a coagulated squad already much than 20 games ago. It's conscionable experience. We're conscionable figuring it out. And the quality with america and [Oklahoma City] is we haven't had this galore reps recognizing what it takes to win. And this is our adjacent step.

“This OKC team, they're not conscionable archetypal successful the league. They're mode up of everybody. And erstwhile you ticker them, nary substance who, whether it's the 12th antheral oregon the starting five, whether they're playing against the 15th effect oregon immoderate benignant of game, they're playing the aforesaid way. They're enjoying the small things that marque them win, and this is the adjacent measurement we person to pass.”

Castle felt the assistance immediately. “It felt good,” helium said. “This was our archetypal crippled having everybody. And I consciousness similar we've been bully successful adjacent games, crunch-time games, and having large fella backmost was decidedly a plus. I deliberation it was a large portion of wherefore we won the game, particularly however helium played successful the 2nd half.”

Wembanyama scored 17 aft halftime and said his teammates made his instrumentality easy: “Almost each nighttime they person proven to maine that I person thing to interest about,” helium said. “The marque of hoops we are playing, that they person been playing, conscionable makes maine arrogant due to the fact that it's getting person to the perfect hoops successful my opinion. It's conscionable beauteous to see.”