The Association predicts the winners of Wednesday’s Western Conference quarterfinals in the Emirates NBA Cup 2025.<\/p>\n
The NBA season is two months complete and approaching the Christmas checkpoint, which means few, if any, conclusions can be drawn.<\/p>\n
But in the cosmetic case of the two conferences, the perception is slowly becoming reality \u2014 the West is best.<\/p>\n
For anyone still unsure, just observe the quality of the Wednesday tips for the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals<\/a>, exclusively featuring four teams in the Left Conference:<\/p>\n \u2022 Oklahoma City Thunder (23-1; 4-0 in NBA Cup): The defending NBA champs, currently 23-1 and bulldozing the league.<\/p>\n \u2022 Los Angeles Lakers (17-6; 4-0): Fortified by a pair of Kia MVP candidates and garnished by one of the greatest players ever, who isn\u2019t one of the two MVP candidates.<\/p>\n \u2022 San Antonio Spurs (16-7; 3-1): The team of the future, with the franchise player of the future, suddenly playing as though the future is now.<\/p>\n \u2022 Phoenix Suns (14-10; 3-1): Powered by pixie dust, the biggest surprise of the season<\/a>, a 14-10 team that was supposed to be down, but responding like a phoenix.<\/p>\n These four bring unique personalities and blueprints to the next phase of the knockout round, and this much, we can be sure: the two survivors will go to Las Vegas with gusto, if only because their semifinal will be earned.<\/p>\n Here are five things to know about the West\u2019s NBA Cup quarterfinals, all the factors and major players and how these games will be won or lost:<\/p>\n 1. How will the Spurs roll with or without Wembanyama?<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard for someone 7-foot-4 \u2014 or maybe 7-foot-5 \u2014 to hide in plain sight. But such has been the case for Victor Wembanyama since Nov. 14, the last time he suited up before suffering a calf strain<\/a>. Wembanyama made the trip to L.A. for this quarterfinal, but at best, he\u2019ll be a game-time decision.<\/p>\n Coach Mitch Johnson said: \u201cWe won\u2019t treat that game, medically speaking, any different.\u201d<\/p>\n Should Wembanyama be scratched from the lineup once again, the Spurs are comforted by their performances without him; they\u2019re 7-2 (with a victory over the Nuggets) because almost everyone in the rotation went up a notch. That\u2019s particularly true for De\u2019Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes, as the veterans are playing perhaps their best ball in a Spurs uniform.<\/p>\n That said, this Spurs-Lakers matchup will be spicier with the return of Wembanyama. He changes everything \u2014 how the Spurs are defended, how the San Antonio offense flows and especially the impact that Wembanyama provides defensively at the rim. He was on Kia MVP-type pace before the injury, and couldn\u2019t choose a better time to suit up again.<\/p>\n 2. LeBron James is his team\u2019s third option<\/p>\n LeBron James hits a late go-ahead 3-pointer and scores 29 points, sparking the Lakers’ late surge in a 112-108 win in Philly.<\/p>\n That sentence has never been typed before. But after 22 seasons, there\u2019s a first time for everything. At some point, LeBron will have his ankles broken on a devastating crossover executed by Father Time, and perhaps this will happen sooner than later. Aside from his double-digit scoring streak snapping<\/a>, there have been subtle signs that reflect how James, who turns 41 in a few weeks, is a step slower and a vertical leap lower.<\/p>\n It\u2019s all about how he adapts to this new reality, and so far, so decent \u2014 James seems willing to let Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and, even more telling, Austin Reaves take the wheel. That says plenty about his mentality and his priorities. He\u2019s not demanding the ball or for the Lakers to constantly call his number.<\/p>\n That said, the Lakers need whatever James has left to reach Vegas and try to win the Cup for the second time in two seasons. While his shooting and defense are on the decline, his passing and court vision remain sharp. If LeBron can use those skills to elevate the other Lakers, primarily center Deandre Ayton, the Lakers will be a problem for the Spurs.<\/p>\n 3. Is Don\u010di\u0107 the best Cup player still standing?<\/p>\n Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would like to have a word, and no disrespect to the reigning Kia MVP<\/a>, but Don\u010di\u0107 is making a serious charge for that honor and in some ways could have a case.<\/p>\n He\u2019s leading the NBA in scoring (35 points per game<\/a>) and nearly averaging a triple-double. While Don\u010di\u0107 missed a few games earlier this season \u2014 Reaves filled the lead-singer role nicely during Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s absence \u2014 he is nearly indestructible, averaging 37 minutes per game and shouldering the offensive load.<\/p>\n He\u2019s a handful for all 29 teams, and his matchup against the bevy of guards the Spurs will throw at him will be interesting. Don\u010di\u0107 is fit, motivated and apparently wants to win a trophy, even if it\u2019s awarded in December. He\u2019s two wins away from that.<\/p>\n 4. Thunder opponents suffer from OKCD<\/p>\n The shine is mostly directed toward Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and, arguably, the best Jalen in hoops, Jalen Williams. For good reason, that core is talented and is steering the Thunder toward a potential second straight title.<\/p>\n Then there\u2019s OKCD \u2014 OKC\u2019s defense, relentless, unforgiving and allowing a league-low 107 points per game (nobody else in the league is under 110). What\u2019s special and unique about OKC\u2019s D is how it\u2019s a truly collective effort, as each rotation player is a solid defender. Usually, teams are fortunate to have a specialist or two. But in addition to the core three, there\u2019s Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort, and oh look \u2014 Cason Wallace was named Kia Defensive Player of the Month for the West in November<\/a>.<\/p>\n OKC comes at you in droves and prohibits teams from finding and exploiting mismatches because there are none in the Thunder defense. How will the Suns compete against that, especially if Devin Booker is an injury scratch?<\/p>\n 5. Collin Gillespie is ready for his closeup<\/p>\n Collin Gillespie hits the go-ahead floater for the Suns with 6.4 seconds left as they win it, 114-113 over the Timberwolves.<\/p>\n The human symbol for the unexpected surge of the Suns is Gillespie, an overachiever on a team sprinkled with them. The 26-year-old guard has found a home and a foundation with the Suns because of his fearlessness and ability to respond when his number is called.<\/p>\n Over the last nine games, he has scored at least 20 points four times and has shot roughly 50% in that span. Even better, the Suns are looking for him late in games; that\u2019s how much confidence Gillespie bought himself among the coaching staff and with his teammates.<\/p>\n He and the Suns lost to OKC by only four points on Nov. 28 as Gillespie had 24 in that game. If nothing else is accomplished in this next game, Gillespie, who\u2019s suddenly on the NBA radar, has entered himself into the conversation for Kia Most Improved Player.<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at\u00a0spowell@nba.com<\/a>, find\u00a0his archive here<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0follow him on\u00a0X<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Association predicts the winners of Wednesday’s Western Conference quarterfinals in the Emirates NBA Cup 2025. 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