Following their sensational victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs have set up a final with the New York Knicks on Tuesday in Las Vegas. This is only the third edition of the tournament, but the hype is already off the charts. However, the narrative around the final will be on Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson’s availability.

Spurs are oozing with confidence after they registered a fantastic 111-109 win over the inform Thunder, breaking their 16-game winning streak. Wembanyama came off the bench to put up 22 points and nine rebounds despite playing only 21 minutes, and it was enough. Similarly, Brunson was the protagonist in the Knicks’ semifinal win over the Orlando Magic as he delivered a 40-point masterclass.

Are Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle playing tonight? Latest injury report on Spurs

Victor Wembanyama‘s heroics were at the forefront on Saturday as he came off the bench and guided the Spurs to a remarkable win. He proved why he is one of the most highly rated NBA players right now. As of now, the big man is expected to feature in Tuesday’s finale against the Knicks on a minutes restriction.

The former Rookie of the Year sustained a calf strain that forced him to stay on the sidelines for a month, but he announced his return in style. The French Phenom has had a great influence on this young Spurs team, especially with his verticality, defense, playmaking, and leadership. His availability in the final will be a big boost for San Antonio.

Similarly, Stephon Castle has also stepped up this season after winning the Rookie of the Year award last season. He has improved on all metrics. In Wembanyama’s absence, the young guard was leading the roster and delivered some exceptional performances. He is off the injury list and will be ready to suit up for the final.

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San Antonio Spurs Injury Report

The Spurs have a fairly healthy roster with only Kyle Mangas listed as questionable for this game. Therefore, coach Mitch Johnson will be able to field his best players for this Championship clash.

Are Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony playing tonight? Latest injury report on the Knicks

Just like Wembanyama, Jalen Brunson has been in sublime form, and he will look to continue that in the final against the Spurs. He is available for this game and will look to lead his team to the title. The shooting guard is already the favorite to win the NBA Cup MVP award with a 35-point performance against the Toronto Raptors in the quarterfinals, followed by 40 points against the Magic in the semifinals. He could be the difference between the Spurs and the NBA Cup in Vegas.

On the other hand, Karl-Anthony Towns could be equally important for the New York Knicks as he brings size, physicality, rebounding, and versatility to the roster, which is invaluable. The Knicks’ big man has been cleared from the injury list and will be available for the title showdown.

He also dropped 29 points and eight rebounds while shooting 9-out-of-11 from the floor against the Magic to provide the support needed by Brunson.

New York Knicks Injury Report

Just like the Spurs, the Knicks fortunately have a rather healthy squad gunning to hit the floor against the Spurs. The only players who are out of contention for this final are fellow guards Landry Shamet (shoulder injury) and Miles McBride (ankle injury). Both players are due for a re-evaluation in a couple of weeks.

Victor Wembanyama vs Knicks, Jalen Brunson vs Spurs: How they’ve performed in past matchups

Victor Wembanyama is still early in his NBA career, and he has faced the Knicks only thrice before this game; on two out of three occasions, he has come out with monstrous numbers. Overall, he averages 32 points, 15.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists against New York. However, in his past two meetings, he recorded 40 and 42 points, respectively.

The big man could be on a minutes restriction even in the final, and that could affect his output on the night.

Similarly, Jalen Brunson also has a decent record against the Spurs, averaging almost 20 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.8 rebounds from 17 games across his NBA career. However, his numbers have only gone up since his move to New York, as he recorded his career-best 61 points against the Spurs in March last year.

San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks match preview and what to expect

The hype around the NBA Cup is simply unreal, and two teams that have given their all to reach the finals will face off in Vegas on Tuesday. While the Spurs have a younger roster with plenty of athletic players and like to maintain a high-intensity gameplay, the Knicks like to be more physical, with Brunson leading the charge.

Looking at the last five meetings between the two teams, it is extremely difficult to choose from with a 3-2 record in favor of the Knicks.

Overall, we expect a high-scoring game with the result getting decided with a late-game execution from one of the star players. The Knicks start as slight favorites over the Spurs, given the occasion.

San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks predicted starting lineup

Based on current injury reports, here’s how both teams could start on Tuesday.

Both teams are heading into the final with fairly healthy rosters; therefore, it will be interesting to see which outfit comes out on top. Comment down below your predictions for the NBA Cup final.