The NBA Cup resumes for the Lakers (17-6) on Wednesday, as they take on the San Antonio Spurs (16-7) in a single-elimination quarterfinal.
The winner of this match will advance to the semifinals, which will be held in Las Vegas, where they will meet the winner of the Suns-Thunder matchup.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs
When: 7 p.m. PT, Dec. 10
Where:
Crypto.com ArenaWatch: Prime Video, Spectrum Sportsnet
The main event of NBA Cup quarterfinals this year will feature Luka Dončić, LeBron
James and Austin Reaves but unfortunately, not Victor Wembanyama. He will miss his 11th straight game with a calf strain but that doesn’t mean the Spurs won’t be competitive in this one. San Antonio has won eight out of their last 11 games without their superstar and they’re certainly motivated to keep that going.
The Lakers defeated the Spurs in their lone matchup this season. It took a 35-point performance from Dončić and a whole team effort to limit Wembanyama. But that was also a game without James, so this alone makes a huge difference. With James in and Wemby out on Wednesday’s game, it’s fair to say that the Lakers will be favored. The question is: Will they play like the better team?
Remember in their last meeting, L.A. had a tough time containing Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie, a trio who combined for 45 points. These Spurs guards pestered the purple and gold all night and exposed their weakness against speedy, athletic perimeter guards. It’s safe to assume that these three will lead the Spurs once again and it’ll be up to the Lakers to turn their defense up.
It’ll be nice to see Deandre Ayton — who successfully kept up with Wembanyama last game — take advantage of San Antonio’s lack of interior presence in this one. Additionally, no one from their side will be able to fully limit Dončić and, with James added into the picture, the Lakers can definitely overwhelm the Spurs on offense without their best defensive player.
Note that the Lakers (4-0) are undefeated in the NBA Cup so far. They approach every game with a sharp focus and determination to win. It seems they’re all in on punching their ticket to Las Vegas this year and earning some extra cash. Let’s see if they can achieve just that by getting past the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Notes and Updates
- For the Lakers’ injury report, Marcus Smart is no longer listed after missing the last six games.
- Although, an addition to the report is Maxi Kleber (lumbar muscle strain), who is noted as questionable.
- As for the Spurs, Wembanyama (left calf strain) won’t suit up. Jordan McLaughlin (left hamstring strain) is questionable.
You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.
