Spurs vs. Thunder Same-Game Parlay for NBA Cup Semifnals: SGP Picks for Dec. 13

My Spurs vs. Thunder same-game parlay suggests that San Antonio might have a chance to pull off an upset during today's NBA Cup semifinal. Tipoff is at 9 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, streaming on Prime Video.

The Thunder (24-1) are a 9-point betting favorite, but the Spurs (17-7) are getting Victor Wembanyama back. My NBA picks argue that there is value in the underdog in an elimination game.

🏆  Spurs vs. Thunder same-game parlay: NBA Cup quarterfinals

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💰 Best Spurs vs. Thunder SGP picks

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Spurs +9 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐

The sentiment from NBA media this week is that there is no reason to play the rest of the season. Oklahoma City is going to win the title, and the only real question is whether or not it will set the regular-season wins record along the way.

The Thunder are deserving title favorites, but people have forgotten they were pushed to Game 7 twice last postseason. It’s also worth pointing out that Oklahoma City has had the easiest schedule in the league so far this year.

I think the market’s perception of the Thunder has created some value on the Spurs, who are getting their best player back. San Antonio went 9-3 without Wembanyama, including 8-4 against the spread. 

This is the biggest spread we’ve gotten on the Spurs all year, and I’m backing them.

Under 226 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A key reason I like San Antonio’s spread is that I expect a more defensive battle on Saturday. Not only is that typically how NBA Cup games have gone, but the most considerable boost the Spurs will get from Wemby’s return is on the defensive end.

According to Databallr, the Spurs have a defensive rating of 109 with Wembanyama on the floor this year. That mark climbs up to 120 when he’s on the bench. San Antonio went from ranking sixth in defensive rating in the first 12 games to 20th after he went down with an injury in mid-November.

Oklahoma City’s case for the Under is straightforward. The Thunder have the league's best defensive rating (103.3), seven points better than the next-best mark. 

I love the Under at 225 or better.

Victor Wembanyama 2+ made 3-pointers (-143) ⭐⭐⭐

If I believe in the Spurs this much, I have to include Wembanyama in my parlay. I’d be surprised if he’s on any minutes restriction, considering he was practicing in full last weekend. If the Spurs didn’t trust him, they wouldn’t play him.

If that’s the case, Wembanyama’s chances of hitting multiple 3-pointers are pretty high, especially if he’s shooting for some positive variance in an upset bid. Wembanyama has hit multiple 3-pointers in four straight games, averaging 3.5 triples.

Last season, Wembanyama averaged 3.1 3-pointers per contest and cleared this line in 80% of his 30 games. I’m comfortable paying the juice for this leg of the SGP.

Our Juan Carlos Blanco is comfortable with another Wembanyama prop in his Spurs vs. Thunder player props.

📺 How to watch Spurs vs. Thunder: NBA Cup semifinals

• Date: Saturday, Dec. 13
• Tipoff: 9 p.m. ET
• Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)
• TV: Prime Video

❓ NBA Cup FAQs

Follow the latest NBA Cup odds to win the in-season tournament.

How does the NBA Cup format work?

All 30 teams were split into five groups and faced off in group play to determine which eight teams advanced to the "knockout rounds" (quarterfinals) and meet in a single-elimination tournament to crown the NBA Cup winner.

What is the NBA Cup schedule?

Every team played one group stage game per week from Oct. 31 to Nov. 28, and eight teams will face off in the quarterfinals on Tuesday and Wednesday. The four remaining teams meet in the semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 10, with the final championship matchup on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

What do the NBA Cup winners get in prize money?

The winner of the NBA Cup will share a prize pool determined by the league's collective bargaining agreement, though the prize money is expected to be more than $500,000 per player on the championship team. The runners-up are expected to receive over $200,000 per player, with the semifinalists receiving more than $100,000 and the quarterfinalists receiving more than $50,000.