LAS VEGAS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence with 22 points and nine rebounds, giving San Antonio a surge and the Oklahoma City Thunder just its second loss with the 111-109 victory Saturday night putting the Spurs in the NBA Cup final.
The Spurs play the New York Knicks in Tuesday night's final.
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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts to scoring in the second half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center, tangles with San Antonio Spurs' Keldon Johnson (3) and Stephon Castle (5) under the net in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) jumps up for a shot near San Antonio Spurs' Harrison Barnes (40) and Luke Kornet (7) in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) jumps to the basket near San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) during the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) sets to play the ball in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City's last defeat was Nov. 5 at Portland, and the Thunder carried a 16-game winning streak into this game. They now are 24-2, the second-best start behind only the 25-1 record by Golden State in 2015-16.
This is the Thunder's second loss in a row in Las Vegas. They also lost last year’s final to Milwaukee 97-81.
Wembanyama, who received “M-V-P” chants from the pro-Spurs crowd, had a plus-21 rating in 21 minutes. Teammate Devin Vassell scored 23 points and De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle each scored 22.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 29 points, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each totaled 17.
Wembanyama had been out because of a strained left calf, though the Spurs went 9-3 in his absence. He was placed on a minutes restriction against the Thunder, but that didn't limit his impact.
Wembanyama, who entered the game averaging 26.2 points and 12.9 rebounds, gave the Spurs an immediate boost and sent a surge into the crowd. Fans began to roar when he removed his sweatpants before the second quarter, and Wembanyama had a plus-20 rating in just seven minutes even with his team trailing by three points at halftime.
But San Antonio ended the first half with a 13-point run to make it a contest. The Spurs used a 10-point run in the third quarter to go up 62-56 and set the stage for a tense fourth period.
Spurs: Play the Knicks on Tuesday night in the NBA Cup final.
Thunder: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts to scoring in the second half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center, tangles with San Antonio Spurs' Keldon Johnson (3) and Stephon Castle (5) under the net in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) jumps up for a shot near San Antonio Spurs' Harrison Barnes (40) and Luke Kornet (7) in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) jumps to the basket near San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) during the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) sets to play the ball in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City and Aston Villa kept the pressure on Premier League leader Arsenal with wins on Sunday.
Nottingham Forest pulled further away from the relegation zone with a 3-0 victory against Tottenham and Sunderland beat Newcastle 1-0 in the Tyne-Wear derby after an own-goal from Nick Woltemade.
Arsenal had extended its lead at the top of the standings to five points with a 2-1 win against Wolves on Saturday. But a day later its closest rivals both responded with victories - second-place City winning 3-0 at Crystal Palace and Villa, in third, twice coming back to beat West Ham 3-2 at the London Stadium.
City is two points behind Arsenal and Villa is a point further back.
Beaten by Palace in the FA Cup final last season, City exacted some revenge to take all three points at Selhurst Park.
“They are so strong. Every time we play against them it’s so difficult," City manager Pep Guardiola said. “Still, we are not top, but we are learning and after what happened we will be closer in the future.”
Erling Haaland scored his 101st Premier League goal to put City in front late in the first half and he got his second of the match with an 89th-minute penalty. The Norwegian has 36 goals in 27 appearances for club and country in another remarkable scoring season. He is the league's leading scorer with 17 goals.
Phil Foden got City's other goal in between Haaland's double.
Morgan Rogers scored twice in the second half to extend Aston Villa's winning run to nine-straight games in all competitions and keep Unai Emery's team on the heels of Arsenal and City.
Villa has lost just one of its last 13 games in the league and won 10 of its last 11, but twice had to come from behind at relegation fighting West Ham.
“We feel unstoppable, but we are making it difficult for ourselves," Rogers said. "The battle and resilience we have means we know we can get back into it against a good team.
“We want to keep this going, it’s about being confident and I’m feeling good.”
Mateus Fernandes scored the fastest goal in England's top flight this season when putting the home team 1-0 up after just 29 seconds. But Konstantinos Mavropanos' own-goal leveled the game eight minutes later.
Jarrod Bowen then gave West Ham the lead at halftime with his second goal in as many games in the 24th.
Rogers leveled the game again five minutes after the break and struck the winner in the 79th.
The pressure is mounting on Tottenham coach Thomas Frank, who was left infuriated after a latest loss.
Spurs have won just one of their last seven games in the league and face defending champion Liverpool at home next week.
“It’s hugely annoying, (I'm) burning inside," said Frank. “I had such a good feeling going into this game, then we deliver this performance, which is not good enough.”
Two goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi at the City Ground put Frank's team on course for another defeat - a sixth in the league this season. Ibrahim Sangare completed a miserable day for the visitors, but a joyous one for Forest, which is five points clear of the relegation zone after being re-energized since the appointment of Sean Dyche as coach in October.
Forest has won six of its last eight under Dyche, including four in the league.
Woltemade endured an agonizing first Tyne-Wear derby since joining Newcastle after his own-goal handed victory to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The Germany striker has impressed since his club record $93 million move from Stuttgart in August. But he made himself a hero to Newcastle's fiercest rival Sunderland when heading past Aaron Ramsdale a minute into second half.
To make matters worse, Woltemade was barely a threat at the other end - registering one shot before being replaced by Yoane Wissa in the 75th.
“Derbies are there to be won, it doesn’t matter how," Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka said.
Sunderland is up to seventh in the standings — level on points with Liverpool.
"This team deserves respect, because where we are is what we deserve,” said Xhaka.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored for the fourth straight game as Leeds came back again to draw 1-1 with Brentford.
Relegation-fighting Leeds also extended its unbeaten run to three games.
After the dramatic 3-3 draw with Liverpool last week, Daniel Farke's team salvaged another point after going behind at Brentford to Jordan Henderson's goal in the 70th.
Calvert-Lewin's scoring streak has been key to Leeds' recent run and after goals against City, Chelsea and Liverpool, he headed in the equalizer in the 82nd.
Leeds is three points above the relegation zone.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Leeds United's Dominic Calvert-Lewin celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game, during the English Premier League soccer match between Brentford and Leeds United, at the Gtech Community Stadium, in London, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)
Nottingham Forest's Callum Hudson-Odoi celebrates scoring their side's second goal during their English Premier League soccer match in Nottingham, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Newcastle United's Nick Woltemade scores Sunderland's first goal of the game, via an own goal during their English Premier League soccer match in Sunderland, England, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (Steve Welsh/PA via AP)
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Aston Villa in London, England, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City in London, Sunday, Dec.14, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
