Thunder – Suns and Lakers – Spurs, quarterfinals of the NBA Cup under scrutiny

Who will join Les Knicks etc the Magic in las vegas? While the East pronounced the first verdict, the quarterfinals of the Western part of the NBA Cup will be played on Wednesday. Last season’s finalist, Le Thunder is the favorite again. The reigning champion challenges Sunsgreat rating of this plateau. Then the match Lakers – Spurs promises to be intense between the two teams at the top of the table.

Thunder – Suns (01:30, Prime Video)

The undisputed league leader, Oklahoma City is looking to establish its dominance and continue its historic start to the season. It could be a little more if they win on Wednesday, as the Thunder would match the 2015-16 start of the Warriors, who started the season with 24 wins before losing their first game.

Success against the Suns would also put the defending champions at 24-1, tied for the most successful regular season of all time.

OKC has reason to dream of such a scenario. Team of Mark Daigneault he plays like a dream, regardless of absences or opponents. The league’s best defense and fifth-ranked offense, the Thunder struggled just as much during the NBA Cup group stage with a 4-0 record and an average margin of nearly 19 points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander he’s still playing at an MVP level (32.8 ppg on 55.6% shooting, 6.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals), and the rest of the team is in line. The only possible reason for disbelief is that the last time OKC had to work hard to win against Phoenix in the last match of the group stage of this NBA Cup.

So it’s possible revenge for the Arizona franchise, which is forced to play in hopes of slipping into the final four. It didn’t go far on Nov. 28, in a narrow 123-119 loss, largely due to “SGA’s” 15 points in the final quarter. Dillon Brooks had the tying shot with just over 20 seconds left, to no avail. Chances you won’t have to miss on Wednesday to become the first away team to win at the Pike Center this season.

The task will be all the more difficult for Phoenix as Devin Booker will not return to the game yet. Jordan Ott and his staff to find the key to shaking the OKC armada.

The shape of the moment

23-1, fifteen straight wins, four of the last eight games won by more than twenty points…the Thunder couldn’t have done better. Confidence is at an all-time high for the Western Conference leader, even if several of its executives were saved against the Jazz. Seventh in the West (14 wins – 10 losses), Phoenix has been on a roll lately with three wins in its last seven matches. The Suns are coming off a big win in Minnesota, but haven’t had two wins since November 21st and 23rd.

Clashes this season

1-0 for Thunder: 123-119 November 28

That hurts

Jalen Williams – Dillon Brooks

Absent during the first 19 matches of the season, “J-Dub” is gradually regaining his sensation. Without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against the Jazz last week, the winger took control of the Thunder offense with 25 points and 8 assists, his best game since his resume. His contributions on both ends of the floor bring an extra dimension to OKC and it won’t be too much to slow down Dillon Brooks. The Canadian is in great form and has established himself as the first offensive option in Devin Booker’s absence with a regularity we haven’t seen from him. He is averaging 25.3 points over the last four games and will be one of the main threats. Mission designed for Jalen Williamsamong the best defenders in the league.

Labor force

Oklahoma City Thunder

leader: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Backs/Wings: Cason Wallace, Jalen WilliamsBrooks Barnheiser (2-way), Alex Caruso, Lou Dort, Isaiah Joe, Ajay Mitchell, Aaron Wiggins, Chris Youngblood (2-way)
interiors: Chet Holmgren, Jailyn WilliamsBranden Carlson (two-way), Ousmane Dieng, Kenrich Williams
Absent: Isaiah Hartenstein, Thomas Sorber, Nikola Topic, Alek Caruso?, Lou Dort?, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?, Isaiah Joe?

Phoenix Suns

Leaders: Collin GillespieJamaree Bouiea (2-way), Jordan Goodwin
Backs/Wings: Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks, Roy O’NealKobe Brea (2-way), Ryan Dunn, Nigel Hayes-Davies, Isaiah Livers
interiors: Mark WilliamsRasheer Fleming, Oso Ighodaro, Khaman Maluach, Nick Richards
Absent : Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Isaiah Livers ?

The key

Will the Thunder take off in the first period? It has become an Oklahoma City specialty. The outgoing champion avoids trouble by starting the match in the best possible way, before sealing his success in the third quarter, so he can better give his main players some breathing room in the final act. OKC thus has the best average difference in the league in the first quarter (+5), as well as in the second (+4.1). Phoenix will absolutely need to stay in touch to hope to put the Thunder in doubt.

Lakers – Spurs (04:00, Prime Video)

A high-stakes matchup between the Lakers and the Spurs, it almost feels like we’re back in the 2000s when the two franchises monopolized the top of the West. For Los Angeles, this No. 2 seed in the West rewards a successful start to the season, atop the playoff group (2nd, 17 wins – 6 losses), away from the Thunder.

The NBA Cup coincided with the Angelinos’ best stretch to date, with a win against Memphis in the middle of a five-game winning streak, followed by a seven-game unbeaten streak against the Pelicans, Clippers and Mavericks.

Team of JJ Redick has undoubtedly benefited from a fairly favorable schedule thus far against disappointing teams since the start of the season. This clash against the Spurs, with just one win behind them in the standings (5th, 16-7) should represent the first real test in this competition. That will allow us to get a more accurate idea of ​​the level of these sometimes confusing Lakers, capable of exploding on the fly in a matchup (all of their losses by at least 10 points, four of six losses by at least 17 points).

In contrast, San Antonio continues its very good start to the season, despite sometimes irreversible winds. The Spurs expected time to find it Victor Vembanyama for this meeting but will eventually save the french star a little longer. It’s a shame, when the team could be complete for the first time this season for the Texas franchise’s first knockout game since 2019. That doesn’t stop San Antonio from staying on its momentum, with a very good De’Aaron Fox as a leader in the absence of Wembey, and a rear trident sa Stephen Castle and a newcomer Dylan Harper finally reunited.

The shape of the moment

The Lakers have been on a rollercoaster in recent days: -17 against the Suns, +3 at the Raptors, -21 in Boston, and finally success at the end of the match on Sunday in Philadelphia. Los Angeles is moving forward while still finding its cruising speed from the sequel LeBron James. He’s hardly better for San Antonio, not always consistent, but he’s still a winner in five of his last eight games and even authored an 8-3 record without Victor Wembanyama.

Clashes this season

1-0 for the Lakers: 118-116 November 5

That hurts

De’Aaron Fox – Luka Doncic

Without “Wembey,” San Antonio will undoubtedly need big man De’Aaron Fox to fuel the Spurs’ offense. This is good, the Lakers are one of the favorite opponents of the 27-year-old leader, who averaged 30.2 points on 53.7% shooting against the “Purple & Gold” in the last three seasons. His long-distance matchup with Luka Doncic, the league’s leading scorer at 35 points per game, should be worth a detour, even if the two shouldn’t go head-to-head, with the Spurs preferring Stefon Castle to defend against the Slovenian.

Labor force

Los Angeles Lakers

Leaders: Luka DoncicGabe Vincent
Backs/Wings: LeBron James, Austin ReavesBrony James, Dalton Knecht, Jake LaRavia Chris Menon (2-way), Marcus Smart, Nick Smith Jr. (2-way), Adou Tierro
interiors: Deandre Ayton, Rui HachimuraJackson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, Drew Thiem (2-way), Jared Vanderbilt
Out: Marcus Smart?

San Antonio Spurs

Leaders: De’Aaron FoxJordan McLaughlin
Backs/Wings: Stephen Castle, Devin VassellJulian Champagne, Dylan Harper, Harrison Ingram (2-way), Keldon Johnson, David Jones Garcia (2-way), Riley Minix, Lindy Waters III
interiors: Harrison Barnes, Luke CornetBismack Biyombo, Carter Bryant, Kelly Olynyk, Jeremy Sochan
Absent : Victor Wembanyama, Jordan McLaughlin ?

The key

How will the Spurs contain the Lakers offense without Victor Wembanyama? The winner of the still “play-in tournament” in 2023 entered the “ultimate” form. With Luka Doncic, Austin Reeves, and LeBron James, Los Angeles has a formidable offensive force, averaging nearly 80 points. Without Victor Wembanyama, does San Antonio have anything to keep? Luke Cornett does a more than honorable job of compensating for rim protection with 1.9 blocks. But he doesn’t have the mobility or deterrent power of the Habs (6th defensive rating with Victor Vembanjama, 21st without him).

As for the outside lines, coach Mitch Johnson will have to find the right opposition, because with Stephon Castle on Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, or even LeBron James, they could face less “intimidating” defenders. That didn’t stop the Spurs from making the comparison earlier in the season, despite a very average game from their franchise player, and without De’Aaron Fox while LeBron James hasn’t started the season yet.