CONFIRMED Wembanyama OUT in NBA Cup Quarterfinal against Lakers

Dec 10, 2025
2 min read

In the latest edition of the 210 Fastbreak podcast, the host confirmed critical news for San Antonio Spurs fans: superstar Victor Wembanyama will not be playing in the Western Conference Quarterfinal of the NBA Cup against the Los Angeles Lakers. While the host admitted the news "still hurts," the episode focused on the Spurs' impressive depth and the massive challenge posed by a star-studded Lakers roster.

The Wembanyama Absence

It has been confirmed that Wembanyama will miss the upcoming matchup. However, the podcast emphasized that the Spurs have remained highly competitive in his absence, relying on a supporting cast that includes Luke Kornet, Stephon Castle, Julian Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, and Jeremy Sochan.

Despite missing their defensive anchor—who is averaging 26.2 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game this season—the Spurs have found offensive rhythm through other stars.

Tale of the Tape: Spurs vs. Lakers

Both teams enter this quarterfinal as offensive powerhouses in the Western Conference. Here is how they stack up statistically for the 2025-26 season:

Stat Category	San Antonio Spurs	Los Angeles Lakers
Record	16-7 (5th in West)	17-6 (2nd in West)
Points Per Game	119.6 (7th)	118.3 (13th)
Rebounds Per Game	44.6 (15th)	41.0 (29th)
Assists Per Game	26.0 (15th)	26.0 (16th)
Offensive Rating	119.0 (7th)	119.4 (6th)
Defensive Rating	114.7 (16th)	117.2 (20th)

Despite the narrative of the Lakers being an "elite" team, the Spurs actually hold a statistical advantage in rebounding and defensive rating, which could be the key to controlling the pace against a Lakers team that struggles on the glass.

Key Matchup: The Backcourt Battle

Luka Dončić vs. Stephon Castle

The primary challenge for San Antonio will be containing Luka Dončić, who is having an MVP-caliber season for Los Angeles.

Luka Dončić (LAL): Averaging a staggering 35.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 9.1 APG.
Stephon Castle (SAS): The Spurs' sophomore guard has stepped up immensely, averaging 17.4 PPG and 7.4 APG.

De'Aaron Fox vs. Austin Reaves

With Wembanyama out, the scoring load falls heavily on De'Aaron Fox, who has been electric for San Antonio.

De'Aaron Fox (SAS): Averaging 24.3 PPG and 6.5 APG.
Austin Reaves (LAL): Reaves has evolved into a lethal scorer alongside the Lakers' stars, averaging 28.4 PPG on 50.9% shooting.

The podcast painted a daunting picture of the opposition. The Lakers are reported to be at "full strength," led by a 40-year-old LeBron James.

LeBron James: James recently broke a scoring streak record (1,297 games with 10+ points) and is coming off a season-high 29-point performance.

Previous Meeting Recap

The teams last met on November 5, 2025, in a thriller that saw the Lakers narrowly escape with a 118-116 victory.

Lakers: Luka Dončić dominated with 35 points, 13 assists, and 9 rebounds. Deandre Ayton also contributed 22 points.
Spurs: Victor Wembanyama led the team with 19 points and 8 rebounds in that loss.