NBA Cup quarterfinal winners and losers: Stephon Fort leads Spurs’ upset of Lakers, Thunder destroy Suns

The 2025 NBA Cup quarterfinals got here to a detailed on Wednesday with the Western Convention half of the bracket. As anticipated, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder made straightforward work of the Phoenix Suns to enhance to 24-1 on the season and tie the perfect 25-game begin in league historical past. Afterward, the San Antonio Spurs put collectively an excellent offensive show to upset the Los Angeles Lakers. 

On the Japanese Convention facet of the bracket on Tuesday, the Orlando Magic got here again from a 15-0 deficit to defeat their in-state rivals, the Miami Warmth, whereas the surging New York Knicks used a dominant second quarter to race previous the Toronto Raptors and win for the eighth time of their final 9 video games. 

The semifinals of the NBA Cup are set for Saturday in Las Vegas:

• Knicks vs. Magic, 5:30 p.m. ET — Amazon Prime
• Spurs vs. Thunder, 9 p.m. ET — Amazon Prime

Earlier than the Cup motion resumes, this is a take a look at the winners and losers from the quarterfinals:

Loser: Anybody within the Thunder’s manner

The Thunder are the defending champs and had been 23-1 getting into Wednesday evening, so there was no confusion about their standing because the league’s greatest group. Nonetheless, their destruction of the Suns needed to be demoralizing for the opposite 29 groups, and significantly these hoping to problem for the title. 

This was the primary time the Thunder have had something at stake in a single recreation since Recreation 7 of the Finals, and if that is what it appears like once they really step on the fuel, good luck to everybody else. Positive, the Suns had been shorthanded, however the hole between the Thunder and the following greatest groups appears larger than ever. 

The Thunder have now gained a franchise document 16 video games in a row, and their 24-1 begin is tied for the perfect in NBA historical past with the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors. Their 49-point win on Wednesday was the most important margin of victory within the league this season and was their fifth win already by 30-plus factors (the document in a season is 10). 

If you would like extra proof of their dominance, try this stat, courtesy of Ben Golliver:

Winner: Stephon Fort

Stephon Fort was the near-unanimous Rookie of the 12 months final season, however was dismissed in some corners as merely the perfect of a bunch of dangerous choices. However whereas his class might not go down as an all-timer, Fort has confirmed this season that he was no charity case. His effort on Wednesday evening to steer the Spurs to the semifinals was his newest piece of proof.

Fort, who solely just lately returned from a hip flexor damage that sidelined him for over three weeks, completed with a season-high 30 factors, 10 rebounds and 6 assists on 10-of-14 capturing from the sphere, together with 3 of 6 from 3-point vary. He was everywhere on either side of the ball, and joined Tim Duncan and Victor Wembanyama as the one Spurs gamers to have a 30/10/5 recreation at age 21 or youthful.

Wembanyama and No. 2 total decide Dylan Harper rightfully obtain a lot consideration, however Fort’s efficiency towards the Lakers was a powerful reminder that he is an enormous piece of the Spurs’ future, too. 

Loser: The Lakers’ protection

The Lakers entered Wednesday evening’s quarterfinal with the Twenty first-ranked protection within the league (116.2 defensive ranking). That quantity is just going to look worse after their no-show towards the Spurs. 

The Spurs poured in 39 factors within the first quarter and by no means regarded again. They crossed the 30-point mark in every of the primary three quarters — they “solely” managed 28 within the fourth — and put up 132 factors for his or her fourth-highest scoring recreation of the season. San Antonio shot 50% from the sphere, made 17 3-pointers, bought to the road for 36 free throws (they made 29) and solely turned the ball over 10 occasions. 

All evening lengthy, the Spurs had been in a position to do no matter they wished. There was little resistance from the Lakers’ perimeter gamers on their drives, and even much less once they bought out in transition. They scored 27 fastbreak factors, together with two late within the first half on a notable possession the place Harrison Barnes bought an uncontested dunk as a result of the Lakers stopped taking part in for some cause. 

The Lakers have an unimaginable offense, and so long as Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves are all wholesome, they will win a whole lot of video games. However to in the end compete for the Western Convention crown, they will have to determine a option to get stops. It is value noting that they are the one group within the bottom-third of the league in defensive ranking with a profitable document. 

Winner: The Knicks

The Knicks have largely flown underneath the radar this season — partly as a result of they bought off to a lackluster begin, however largely as a result of there have been different extra fascinating tales. Over the previous few weeks, nonetheless, the Knicks have began to spherical into type. 

Knicks, Jalen Brunson difficulty reminder to East as they surge into NBA Cup semifinals

Jack Maloney

They’ve gained eight of their final 9 video games to enhance to 17-7 and transfer inside two video games of the Detroit Pistons for the highest spot within the Japanese Convention. Tuesday’s large win over the Raptors was a reminder of why they’re at the moment the Japanese Convention favorites (+270, per Caesars) regardless of being in second place within the standings. 

The semifinals in Las Vegas will probably be an opportunity for the Knicks to take heart stage for maybe the primary time all season and guarantee they’re ignored no extra. And, whereas the NBA Cup is clearly nowhere close to as vital because the Finals, the competitors gives a franchise that has been starved for fulfillment a chance to carry a trophy. 

The Magic gave up Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, a 2025 first-round decide (Yang Hansen), three unprotected first-round picks (2026, 2028, 2030) and a 2029 first-round decide swap (top-two protected) to amass Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies through the offseason. 

That was an enormous worth to pay, particularly for a non-superstar, and when Bane and the Magic bought off to a tough begin this season, Grizzlies followers had been doing victory laps. Because it turned out, Bane simply wanted a while to acclimate to a brand new metropolis and teammates. 

Bane’s been superb for a couple of weeks now, however it needed to really feel good for him to have an enormous evening in a showcase recreation in entrance of a nationwide viewers. No higher option to remind everybody that you are a borderline All-Star than by pouring in 37 factors (14 of 24 from the sphere, together with 6 of 9 from 3-point vary) and chipping in six rebounds and 5 assists in a comeback win.  

Through the Magic’s 8-3 sizzling streak, Bane is averaging a team-high 22.2 factors on 46/38.7/96 capturing splits, 4.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists. 

Grayson Allen bought off to an unimaginable begin for the Suns this season, however has struggled since coming back from a quad damage that sidelined him for simply over two weeks. He didn’t get again on observe Wednesday. 

Not solely did Allen end with simply 10 factors on 3 of 9 from the sphere within the Suns’ 49-point loss (the worst defeat in group historical past), he was ejected within the third quarter after chucking Chet Holmgren to the bottom. 

The play was reviewed and upgraded to a Flagrant 2, which, to be honest to Allen, appeared a bit harsh. Even so, it was a totally pointless second that can solely additional tarnish Allen’s repute.