Starting 5: Your guide to tonight’s Emirates NBA Cup semifinals
Steph Curry made his return Friday night.
What’s the exact opposite of rust? Eyes up 👀
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Dec. 13, 2025
The Stakes: How the four semifinalists navigated to Vegas, and what a win would mean for each
Creator Cup: Basketball’s top influencers take the Cup court for bragging rights and big giveaways
Spurs vs. Thunder: A record start, a franchise-best streak, the reigning Kia MVP and the anticipated return of Wemby
Magic vs. Knicks: A top-5 offense facing a top-5 defense in the fourth meeting of the season between two title contenders
Friday’s Firepower: Curry’s comeback, Embiid’s rewind, and Spida leading another high-scoring night
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Here are the final scores before Saturday’s Cup Semifinals…
The Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals tip off today in Las Vegas on Prime. Opening action features Jalen Brunson and the Knicks versus Paolo Banchero’s Magic (5:30 ET). Tap to Watch.
Then Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder take on the Spurs, with Victor Wembanyama (probable) set for a return (9 ET). Tap to Watch.
The victors advance to Tuesday’s winner-take-all NBA Cup Championship in Vegas. You can still be there—snag your tickets now!
- Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals: The Journey, The Stakes
Four teams, three games to crown a champion.
Knicks vs. Magic (5:30 ET, Prime). Spurs vs. Thunder (9 ET, Prime). Elimination basketball. Nothing ordinary about this stage.
Elimination basketball. The world watches. A title on the line.
- “It’s a tremendous opportunity to play on this stage,” Paolo Banchero said on Friday’s Media Day. “It’s a big stage—and we want to take advantage.”
- “We go out there with a hunter’s mentality,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, outlining OKC’s Cup mindset. “Trying to be a better version of ourselves every time.”
How They Arrived: Saturday opens with the East semifinal as Jalen Brunson and the red-hot Knicks face a familiar foe in the Magic—undefeated in Cup play and unfazed by adversity.
- Cup Command: Orlando went 4-0 in group play, clinching the East’s No. 1 seed with the best point differential in the conference (+64) despite Paolo Banchero missing three group games.
- Next Man Up: Paolo returned for the Cup quarterfinals, and the Magic beat Miami behind Desmond Bane’s 37 points, though Franz Wagner was ruled out with an ankle injury.
- Knicks Momentum: New York followed up a Sunday win (106-100) against Orlando, then defeated Toronto in the quarterfinals—their eighth win in nine games.
- Round 4 Edge: The Magic still own the season series edge, taking two of the first three meetings. They’ll meet again with a trip to Tuesday’s final on the line.
Superstar Showdown: The night concludes with a West semifinal that features Victor Wembanyama’s anticipated return as the Spurs challenge the 24-1 Thunder.
- Thunder Stride: Oklahoma City finished Group Play unbeaten with the league’s top differential (+75). They then crushed Phoenix 138-89 in the quarterfinals—the largest margin of victory in the league this season.
- Historic Run: The win extended OKC’s streak to 16 games, a franchise record, tying the 2015-16 Warriors for the best 25-game start in NBA history.
- Spurs’ Rise: San Antonio climbed from 5th in the West to a string of big wins, including over Houston, Denver, and then the Lakers in the quarterfinals.
- Wembanyama Return: The Spurs will seek to intercept OKC’s ascent as Wemby returns after an 11-game absence due to a calf issue.
Dive Deeper: Visit the Emirates NBA Cup hub for everything you need, including the latest Cup MVP Ladder and Numbers To Know for each semifinal.
- NBA Creator Cup: MEKA, TEAM LETHAL Level Up for the Crown
Team Lethal 79, Team Agent 67: Team Lethal secured a clean sweep through all Levels to win the Playstation NBA Creator Cup championship on the NBA Cup court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Meka earned MVP honors with 23 points, sealing the win with a deep late three to reach Level 4’s Target Score. After a quiet first half, Meka switched on in the second half, piling on 21 points to power a 2nd-half surge, aided by fan-selected point multipliers.
“I felt good,” Meka commented. “Then I found my rhythm and kept firing.”
YPK Raye scored 23 for Team Lethal, while Drifty Jay led Team Agent with 24 points.
- Catch some standout clips from Agent’s stream, where he coached his squad to victory
- Halftime’s Moneyball Challenge featured Cam Wilder and RPK Raye contesting with a PS5 on the line for a lucky fan
- Wilder handed out his shoes to a young fan for a small price
- Feemstar showcased a jaw-dropping trick shot earlier in the day
Also on Cup Semifinal weekend, the EYBL Scholastic Showcase kicked off Friday with Michai White, Antonio Pemberton, and Brewster Academy topping Sunrise Christian, while Tahj Ariza’s Link Academy defeated Moussa Kamissoko and Long Island Lutheran.
- Spurs vs. Thunder: A Showdown of West Powerhouses with Wembanyama
A 24-1 start, tied for the best 25-game opening in NBA history. A 16-game winning streak, a franchise record.
Now they face a rising West foe—one they may contend with for years—while an alien star returns to the court: Victor Wembanyama.
- “He’s in a class of his own,” Jalen Williams said of facing Wembanyama. “You have to stay disciplined—he’s one of those players you have to bring your best against.”
The Missing Piece: The Thunder checked virtually every box in 2024-25: a league-best 68 wins, a +12.9 point differential, a Kia MVP on their roster, and an NBA title chase. Yet the NBA Cup escaped them last year, falling in the final to the Bucks.
Now, with an even hotter start this season—domination and a growing win streak—they’re one win away from Vegas’ Cup championship.
- “We’re not thrilled about how last Vegas ended,” SGA said. “We’re better now—I think you’ll see that.”
Two styles collide. OKC’s disciplined, swarming defense meets San Antonio’s fast-paced, high-energy attack. This is a clash of tacticians, with SGA as the interior artist trying to solve the human wall in Wemby.
- Offense in overdrive: OKC sits on a 96-game streak of 20+ points, led by a career-best 32.6 ppg
- Inside-out: 25.7 of those points come from inside the arc, including a league-best 14.1 ppg on drives and 8.1 ppg off 2-point pull-ups
- The Human Eraser: Wembanyama enters the game with a 97-game streak of at least one block, averaging a league-leading 3.6 blocks this season
- Measuring up: Even with an 11-game calf layoff, Wembanyama still ranks second in total blocks (43)
OKC’s defense, both relentless and flexible, will test San Antonio’s track-meet offense the Spurs hope to unleash on the court.
- Pace matters: The Spurs’ pace has surged from 25th in mid-November to 11th over their last 11 games, fueling an 8-3 run
- Fast break focus: San Antonio features the Cup’s second-most fast-break points, powering a top-5 offensive rating with guards De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper pushing pace
- “We want to speed the game up,” Fox said after Thursday’s quarterfinal win. “We want to push the ball, make or miss—play fast, but with purpose.”
- OKC excels at forcing turnovers and turning them into points, fueling the league’s top offense at 123.6 ppg
Shai vs. Wembanyama: a clash of two elite scorers and a test of tempo. Only one team will leave with Cup dreams intact.
- Knicks vs. Magic: Offense Soars Against Defense That Stifles
Two top squads meet tonight at 5:30 ET on Prime Video in the Cup semifinals at T-Mobile Arena. It’s the fourth meeting of the season, and the series record stands at 2-1-1 in favor of the Magic—but the stakes elevate this matchup beyond the ordinary.
“It’s two great teams,” Desmond Bane said. “Two teams working toward something big in the East.”
- The Knicks sit No. 1 in offensive rating across Cup play, averaging 129.4 and beating the Raptors by 16 in the quarterfinals
- The Magic anchor a defense that’s been elite in Cup play, ranking third in defensive rating at 104.6 and holding the Heat to 108 last time out
Brunson and Towns have been central to this rivalry in 2025-26, and they’ll look to again push their teams toward the Cup final.
- Brunson’s numbers against Orlando this season: 31.3 ppg and 8.7 apg, with a 30-point, 10-for-23 performance on December 7
- Towns vs. Orlando: 19.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, including a 24-point night in late November
With Franz Wagner out (ankle), the Magic will lean on their rest of the starting lineup to elevate play. They’ve remained undefeated in Cup play at 5-0.
- Bane from deep: 47.1% three-point shooting, averaging 21.7 ppg and 5.7 apg to support Orlando
- Paolo Banchero returns from injury; earlier meetings were limited, but he contributed 16 points in the third meeting after going 4-for-11 in the first
- “This is a tremendous opportunity to play on this stage,” Banchero said. “You can feel the gravity of everything happening—the stage is big.”
- Friday Frenzy: Curry, Spida, Embiid Shine in a High-Scoring Night
Donovan Mitchell, Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry, and others carried the scoring torch Friday night.
In Cleveland’s latest comeback, Mitchell authored a 24-point fourth quarter to spark a season-high 48-point performance and lift the Cavaliers over the Wizards, 130–126.
- The Wizards’ Bub Carrington matched with 27 points, tying CJ McCollum for a share of the night’s highlight reel
- With Tyrese Maxey sidelined by illness, Philadelphia turned to Embiid, who erupted for 39 points in under 32 minutes as the Sixers defeated Indiana, 115–105
- Embiid’s performance came on the heels of a high-scoring stretch, and the Sixers capitalized with a late 13–2 run
Steph Curry joined the scoring carnival, eclipsing Michael Jordan by reaching 94 games with 35+ points after turning 35, the most in NBA history for that milestone.
In Detroit, a balanced attack fueled a season-high 142 points as the Pistons joined the 20-win club, with 13 players contributing, led by Isaiah Stewart.
- Jalen Johnson produced a rare triple-double for an exceptional Hawks performance, the fifth of his season
- The Mavericks outpaced the Nets, with Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis combining for 46 points to beat Michael Porter Jr. and the Nets
- The Bulls snapped a seven-game skid, rallying past the Hornets thanks to a late surge and standout performances from Giddey and White
Charlotte’s youngsters shined, as Caleb Martin joined LaMelo Ball as the only Hornets rookies to post 30+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+ made threes in a single game.
In Utah, the Jazz outlasted the Grizzlies, with Keyonte George dropping a career-high 39 and Kevin Love delivering a late-game scoring burst to seal the win after Ja Morant’s return.
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