The San Antonio Spurs are high in confidence after beating the LA Lakers in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup. Now, they aim to carry that momentum against the in-form Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals in Vegas on Saturday. While the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led OKC will start as the favorites in this game, a lot will depend on Victor Wembanyama’s availability for the Spurs.

The Thunder are on a roll, winning 16 games in a row, and are easily the best team in the NBA by a mile. However, the Spurs are an exciting young outfit who love to punch above their weight, just like they did in a 132-119 win over the Lakers without Victor Wembanyama recently. They have the talent and the form to compete with OKC.

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

Victor Wembanyama has been out with a calf strain since November 14, missing as many as 12 games in the process. However, the Spurs have maintained a solid 9-3 record in his absence. Now, the French Phenom can return to action on Saturday, as he is upgraded to probable.

Things cannot get any better for coach Mitch Johnson as he desperately needs every bit of help possible to win this knockout game against the Thunder. Wembanyama will instantly improve the team with his verticality, defensive prowess, and playmaking.

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Meanwhile, Stephon Castle, who dropped 30 points in the Spurs’ big win over the Lakers, is also cleared off the injury list and will suit up for Saturday’s crucial game.

Last season’s Rookie of the Year, Castle has shown great maturity to lead the franchise in Wemby’s absence. He has improved on all his important metrics this season, on an already exceptional rookie year.

Are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Hartenstein playing tonight? Latest injury report on Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder are obliterating opponents left, right, and center, and their reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is in the midst of everything productive done by the franchise. The current scoring leader missed a single game this season due to an elbow injury, but that didn’t slow him down one bit as he started against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday in a blowout 138-89 win in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup. He will look to carry the same form against the Spurs.

On the other hand, the Thunder were missing their starting center, Isiah Hertenstein, who was sidelined with a calf strain for six games. However, he has been cleared from the injury list for Saturday’s game against the Spurs. With his availability, Oklahoma City will be able to field its starting lineup for the semifinal showdown in Vegas.

Other absentees for the Thunder include Isaiah Joe (knee injury), Thomas Sorber (torn ACL), and Nikola Topic (cancer diagnosis).

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Match Preview and What to Expect?

This is the first time both teams will meet this season. However, since the beginning of 2024, the Spurs and the Thunder have met thrice, with Oklahoma City taking the upper hand with a 2-1 record. Their last encounter happened last season in March 2025, where OKC won 142-136 in a crazy high-scoring game.

The Thunder have scored more than 100 points in all three games, and given their offensive prowess, we expect them to break that threshold once again. It remains to be seen if the Spurs could ride the wave from the Lakers’ win and use it here against the league leaders and reigning champions.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Predicted Lineups

Based on the information around injuries available, here’s the predicted lineup for both teams

While both teams will more or less be at their full strength, it will be a much-awaited knockout game for a place in the NBA Cup final. On paper, the Thunder, with a 24-1 record, will start as firm favorites, but Victor Wembanyama’s return to the lineup will significantly boost San Antonio’s morale ahead of Saturday’s semifinal. We expect a close fight with the outcome being decided with a late moment of brilliance.