San Antonio Spurs Learn From NBA Cup Final Loss As Wembanyama Returns

The San Antonio Spurs are treating their NBA Cup final loss to the New York Knicks as valuable preparation for the rest of the season, with Victor Wembanyama and teammates stressing the lessons learned

from the 124-113 defeat in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

San Antonio built a lead in the final but could not close the game out, as New York rallied to claim the NBA Cup title. Despite the disappointment, voices inside the Spurs locker room insisted the setback would help shape their approach to high-pressure fixtures later in the campaign.

Wembanyama came off the bench in his second appearance after a 12-game injury absence and finished with 18 points and 16 rebounds in 25 minutes. However, the Knicks outscored the Spurs by 18 points while Wembanyama was on the floor, underlining areas the coaching staff will review in film sessions.

Speaking about what the group can take from the defeat, Wembanyama placed the emphasis on long-term goals and postseason readiness. "I guess it is the best practice for important games because of course our focus is already on the playoffs and that's the biggest time," Wembanyama said. "The playoffs are going to be the biggest time of the year. So, I guess it's good that we got this experience, too. "

Interim head coach Mitch Johnson underlined that the Spurs’ NBA Cup journey, which included a semi-final win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, had given the squad important knowledge about managing momentum in tight contests. Johnson explained that decisive moments often came from simple details rather than highlight plays with the ball.

Johnson expanded on that theme while assessing how the final slipped away. "Just some really good experiences," Johnson said. "You've got to execute and you've got to make sure when there is a moment where the game feels like it's getting away from you, that's when you sometimes need to make a stand. Sometimes that's a fundamental play that has nothing to do with directly involving the basketball. I'm assuming that we're feeling pretty frustrated because we lost the game. After 25 games in, I believe we've shown some signs that we can be a pretty good team. "

Guard Dylan Harper echoed Johnson’s message, insisting the group remained optimistic about what the Spurs could deliver over the rest of the season. Harper pointed out that the roster had only just returned to full strength and highlighted recent narrow victories as evidence of resilience in key stretches.

Harper framed the Knicks defeat as part of a wider growth process. "Sky is the limit," Harper said. "It's our second game [all together again]. It's nothing to overreact about. We have won a lot of close games in the Cup or in the season in general. To be on this side is definitely a good learning experience. It teaches us a lot about ourselves, and it's good that we have a whole lot of room to grow knowing what we have done up to this point. "

San Antonio Spurs results, NBA Cup final and season record

Key numbers from the Spurs’ NBA Cup final and current season position are shown below, reflecting both the disappointment in Las Vegas and the strong overall start to the campaign, which now continues against the Washington Wizards.

Fixture / Record	Detail
NBA Cup final opponent	New York Knicks
Final score	New York Knicks 124, San Antonio Spurs 113
Location of final	Las Vegas
Wembanyama minutes played	25 minutes off the bench
Wembanyama points	18 points
Wembanyama rebounds	16 rebounds
On-court plus-minus for Wembanyama	-18 for San Antonio during those minutes
NBA Cup semi-final opponent	Oklahoma City Thunder
Season record after 25 games	18-7
Next opponent	Washington Wizards

Emotions were high after the final buzzer, especially for Wembanyama, who had been dealing with personal grief on the same day as the Cup decider. Reports stated that Wembanyama had been told earlier about the death of Wembanyama’s grandmother, adding a difficult off-court layer to an already intense occasion.

Left it all on the court. See yall back home on Thursday, San Antonio pic.twitter.com/TNrcEdjQpISan Antonio Spurs (@spurs) December 17, 2025

When Wembanyama spoke to reporters after the game, the press conference ended quickly as the situation became clear. "I'm sorry, I lost somebody today," Wembanyama told the media before stepping away, having answered only one question following the defeat to the Knicks.

The Spurs, now 18-7 on the season, leave Las Vegas with frustration about missed chances but also with a stronger sense of what is required in knockout situations. With the NBA Cup finished, attention turns back to the regular season schedule and the next test against the Washington Wizards, as San Antonio aims to turn these experiences into deeper playoff readiness.