NBA2026-11-12Stephen Curry and the Warriors Visit Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in Friday's NBA Cup Showdown: West Group C Stakes, Fantasy Starts and What to Watch
By Verdexed NBA Desk
The third NBA Cup night of the season lands on Friday, and its headliner pits two of the Western Conference's hottest teams against each other. Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors visit Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center at 9:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video, and the winner takes control of West Group C.
Both teams entered this week riding long winning streaks, both are unbeaten in Cup play, and both have a star producing at a level that moves fantasy matchups on his own. For bettors, it is the most important group-stage game on the board so far, because a head-to-head result is the first tiebreaker in Cup standings.
How West Group C got here
West Group C includes Golden State, San Antonio, the Lakers, Portland and Sacramento. The Warriors opened Cup play on Oct. 30 with a 112-95 home win over the Lakers after trailing by 25 early, a comeback that set a shot-clock-era record for margin of victory by a team that trailed by 20 or more after the first quarter. Curry scored 31 with six assists, outdueling Luka Doncic, who had 37.
On Nov. 6, the Spurs opened their Cup schedule with a 124-109 win in Sacramento. Wembanyama had 30 points and 14 rebounds, Stephon Castle added 19, and San Antonio led 75-56 at halftime. Darius Acuff Jr. led the Kings with 22 points and eight assists. The same night, Doncic scored 53 as the Lakers held off Portland 124-118, a result that kept Los Angeles alive after its opening loss.
| Team | Cup record | Cup results so far |
|---|---|---|
| Warriors | 1-0 | Beat Lakers 112-95 (Oct. 30) |
| Spurs | 1-0 | Won at Kings 124-109 (Nov. 6) |
| Lakers | 1-1 | Lost to Warriors 112-95, beat Trail Blazers 124-118 |
| Trail Blazers | 0-1 | Lost at Lakers 124-118 (Nov. 6) |
| Kings | 0-1 | Lost to Spurs 124-109 (Nov. 6) |
The format sends the six group winners and one wild card from each conference to the knockout rounds, with the championship set for Dec. 11. Ties are broken by head-to-head record, then point differential, then points scored. That makes Friday's result doubly important: the winner owns the tiebreaker against the other group favorite.
Two streaks on a collision course
Golden State has turned an 0-3 start into one of the league's best runs. Curry scored 41 points with six rebounds and six assists on Nov. 7 as the Warriors beat Orlando 126-119 in overtime for their seventh straight win, making them the first team since the 1950-51 Boston Celtics to win seven in a row after an 0-3 start. Curry went 4-for-4 on go-ahead shots across the final two minutes of regulation and overtime.
San Antonio has been even more dominant. Wembanyama scored a career-high 52 points with a career-high 24 rebounds and eight blocks in a 112-111 win over Dallas on Nov. 4, made all 15 of his free throws, and followed it with the Kings win. On Nov. 7, he scored 29 points on 13 shots in a 125-103 rout of Portland, the Spurs' eighth straight win.
Golden State's frontcourt depth is thinner than usual. Kristaps Porzingis has stepped away from basketball to focus on his health after recurring symptoms, which leaves the Warriors without a true seven-footer to throw at Wembanyama for long stretches.
Fantasy outlook: who to start
Victor Wembanyama is a locked-in start in every format, and this matchup sets up well for his rebounds and blocks. Golden State plays small and fast, which tends to inflate his defensive counting stats. The one risk is minutes: San Antonio has blown out several opponents, and lopsided games have kept him on the bench in fourth quarters. Against a team as dangerous late as Golden State, that is less likely.
Stephen Curry is a must-start as well. His recent run of scoring and clutch shot-making has been as good as at any point in his career, and the Spurs will commit to slowing him down. His threes are the category that matters most, and he remains a strong bet for multiple makes even against a long defense.
Stephon Castle is a solid start in deeper leagues. His 19 points against the Kings highlighted his role as San Antonio's second option at times, and his rebounds and assists give him a stable floor. Dylan Harper and De'Aaron Fox round out a guard group that keeps the Spurs' offense moving when Wembanyama sits.
For the Warriors, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has become the clear second fantasy option. He scored 37 in a Nov. 1 win over the Clippers, the most points by a Warriors rookie since Curry in 2010, and added 23 points, eight rebounds and a key overtime three against Orlando. He should be started in all formats while Porzingis is away. Brandin Podziemski is a mid-priced DFS option whose value depends on Curry drawing the defense's attention.
The rest of Friday's Cup slate
In the East, the Knicks visit Indiana at 7 p.m. ET in an East Group B matchup. That group includes New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Miami and Indiana, and ESPN singled it out as a particularly strong group. Cleveland opened Cup play with a win over Philadelphia on Nov. 6 in LeBron James' return to Cleveland, and the Knicks have since beaten the Cavaliers in a regular-season meeting.
Through the Nov. 6 games, only three teams were 2-0 in Cup play: Boston, Minnesota and Dallas. Boston had the best point differential at plus-53, while Charlotte had the worst, losing its two games by a combined 55 points. Detroit and Orlando led East Group A after one game each.
The Verdexed angle
Group-stage games carry more than one result. Because point differential is the second tiebreaker, teams with a lead late in the fourth quarter have an incentive to keep their starters in and push the margin, which can change how a blowout plays out. That matters for spreads and for player props: starters on a team chasing a margin may play more fourth-quarter minutes than in a typical regular-season rout.
For Warriors at Spurs specifically, pace is the key variable. San Antonio has used its length to dominate games inside, while Golden State's offense depends on Curry's movement and quick threes. A game that turns into a shootout favors Golden State's style; a game in the halfcourt favors the Spurs' size. Totals are worth checking right up to tipoff, because late injury news on either side changes the pace calculation.
For the model's view on Friday's Cup games and every other matchup, see the NBA predictions page.
What's next
The winner of Warriors at Spurs will lead West Group C with two group games left, and the loser will need help to win the group. The Lakers remain the third contender after their win over Portland, while the Blazers and Kings need a strong finish to stay alive. Group play continues on Fridays through late November, with the knockout rounds starting in early December. For fantasy managers, the Cup games count as regular-season games, so treat them like any other night in your lineup and watch for any change in starters' minutes when margins matter.