NBA Cup Final Player Props Today (Dec. 16): Best Bets for Spurs vs. Knicks

The 2025 NBA Cup Final is here, and there's a showdown between New York and San Antonio!

(Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Was it a coincidence that the Spurs eliminated the Thunder in the NBA Cup Semifinals? Headed to the championship game, today's matchup between No.3 New York Knicks and No. 3 San Antonio Spurs.

Yes, this is the NBA Cup Championship, but it isn't an ordinary matchup. Tonight's showdown features a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals between New York and San Antonio. With the Spurs getting the best of the Knicks, we are talking about a legendary time in the NBA.

Going back to the Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Lattrell Sprewell, and Allan Houston days—tonight's cup will highlight the passing of the torch. With the Knicks and Spurs as top dogs again, Jalen Brunson and Victor Wembanyama highlight the newest stars of the age.

Better yet, Brunson's father, Rick, was a member of the Knicks' 1999 finals roster. Talk about a small world.

NBA Cup Championship: Knicks vs Spurs

Tonight's matchup should be a close one, and the sportsbooks are predicting a competitive showdown, as the Knicks are slim 2.5-point favorites. A matchup in Las Vegas, this is the biggest stage both teams have seen in a while.

Finishing as the No. 3 seed and the top dog in Group C of the East, the Knicks finished with a 3-1 record in group play. With group wins over the Heat, Hornets, and Bucks, that's not all that impressive. However, New York's dominant 132-120 victory over a stingy Orlando Magic defense in the semifinals was.

Thanks to Jalen Brunson's historic shooting performance against the Magic, he finished with 40 points and 16-27 from the field. Leading the Knicks in scoring, will Brunson produce a 50-piece today?

The Spurs were always a dark-horse pick in an extremely competitive Group C division in the West, which includes the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Golden State Warriors. With victories over all three except the Warriors—the Spurs had to face Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, AND Steph Curry.

With bonus money and a trophy on the line, who will win the third annual NBA Cup Championship?

Who Will Win the Third Annual NBA Cup?

If you're betting on the NBA today, the Cup Final between the Knicks and Spurs will tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video.

Set at a neutral site, the championship will be held at T-Mobile Arena, located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Let's take a look at my best bets, player prop predictions, and more for the Tuesday, Dec. 16 NBA Cup Final between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. Currently, Jalen Brunson (-125) and Victor Wembanyama (+380) are the top favorites to win the NBA Cup Tournament MVP.

You can find all my bets today within FanDuel and Fanatics.

NBA Cup Finals: Spurs vs Knicks FanDuel Betting Odds For Tuesday, December 16

• San Antonio Spurs (+2.5) (+120) vs. New York Knicks (-2.5) (-142) O/U 234.5

NBA Cup Finals:  San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks Best Bets For Tuesday, December 16

 Player Prop Best Bet #1: Victor Wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama 2025-2026 Season Stats

G: 13 | PPG: 25.8 | FG: 50.4 % | FT: 84.4 % | 3PT: 35.6 % | REB: 12.6 | AST: 3.8 | STL: 1.1 | BLK: 3.5

• 32+ Points + Rebounds (-120 Fanatics)

My first-best bet for today, I placed one unit on Spurs star Victor Wembanyama to record over 32 points and rebounds.

I know this is a steep number, especially since Wemby has returned just one game after missing the previous 12 matchups with a calf injury. As far as I'm concerned, Wembanyama got through the worst of it. Defeating the OKC Thunder is NO easy feat.

As expected, Wembanyama recorded 22 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal in just 21 minutes off the bench.

Yes, you heard that correctly. 22 points, shooting 6-11 from the field, 1-1 from 3-point, and 9-12 from the charity stripe.

You could hardly tell Wembayama was previously injured. At 7-foot-4, is Wemby the best player in the NBA? Not only does he have handle and moves like a hard, but he also point-blank ripped a 3-pointer over Isaiah Hartenstein at the top of the key. Can we also talk about that inbound lob over Jalen Williams, or that mid-range at the nail over Alex Caruso?

Victor Wembanyama: The Best Player In The NBA?

Neither Chet Holmgren nor Hartenstein could stop Wembanyama—he took 12 trips to the free-throw line.

Back in action, Wembanyama is the Spurs' leading scorer (25.8 PPG) and leading rebounder (12.6 RPG) for a reason. When fully healthy, he's averaging 17.8 FGA per game and 7.4 FTA! Although he's been injured, there's no denying the French sensation is having a career year. We are talking about a player who's putting up a career-best in points, rebounds, field goal percentage (50.4 %), 3-point percentage (35.6 %), and free-throw percentage (84.4 %).

Tonight, he gets a Knicks team that won't give him easy buckets. While he overcame an elite OKC team, can he punch through Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns? This season, the Knicks give up the second-fewest points to centers and the third-fewest rebounds to them as well.

Heading into tonight's matchup with an average of 38.5 points and rebounds per game, the Knicks last gave up 32+ points and rebounds to Alex Sarr on Nov. 3. However, we know Wembanyama is the anomaly, and he erupted for back-to-back 60 points and rebounds in the last two meetings against New York.

When healthy, this prop is usually much higher, and Wemby has soared over this line in four of the last five games he's played. The question remains: how many minutes will he play in a must-win scenario? I can't imagine it will be north of 26-27 minutes.

Final NBA Cup Spurs vs Knicks Betting Prediction: Victor Wembanyama 32+ Points + Rebounds (-120 Fanatics)

Whether he plays 20 or 25 points, Wembanyama is crucial to the Spurs' success. He posted over a +43 point differential when on the court in the last game, which is telling in itself.

• I'm taking Victor Wembanyama to record over 32 points and rebounds today. In his last matchup against the Knicks last season, he erupted for 42 points and 18 rebounds. In his rookie season, he scored 40 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in late March. The Knicks front court hasn't changed much since the Towns trade—I'm taking Wemby on the biggest stage tonight.

 Player Prop Best Bet #2: Stephon Castle

Stephon Castle 2025-2026 Season Stats

G: 19 | PPG: 18.6 | FG: 50.5 % | FT: 72.1 % | 3PT: 28.6 % | REB: 6.1 | AST: 6.9 | STL: 1.4 | BLK: 0.3

• 23+ Points + Assists (-140 Fanatics)

My second-best bet for today, I placed one unit on Spurs star guard Stephon Castle to record 23+ points and assists. While this player prop is a bit juiced, there's still great value here.

A one-and-done star out of UConn, Castle is absolutely flourishing in his second season with the Spurs. Putting up a career-best points per game (18.4), rebounds per game (6.1), and assists per game (6.1), every aspect of his game has improved. That includes his field goal percentage, which increased from 42.8% to 50.5 %.

At 6-foot-6, Castle is a multifaceted, versatile player who possesses all the assets of a franchise cornerstone guard. The former NBA Rookie of the Year has a unique set of skill set that makes him one of the most upcoming playmakers, as well as someone who can attack downhill.

Stephon Castle NBA Cup MVP Odds: +600

Castle has been lights out, posting a 22 points, six rebound, and two assist statline against a stingy Thunder defense. Shooting 9-16 from the field, Castle previously recorded 30 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, on 10-14 shooting against the Lakers. Posting his first 30-point performance of the season, we are seeing the future right ahead of us.

This is a perfect spot for Castle, who will get a taste of mini-championship experience today. Averaging 18.4 points per game and 6.9 assists per game, Castle has scored 22+ points over the last two games alone! Not solely relying on just scoring, we are talking about a player who averages 25.4 points and assists this season.

We saw him finish through multiple Thunder defenders, and now he gets a Knicks squad that allows the twelfth-most assists to shooting guards. While Brunson and Josh Hart might give Castle a challenge defensively, Castle is coming off 16 potential assists alone in the last game.

I would imagine Castle's minutes will climb north of 34-35, given it's a championship game, and he's averaged 14 points and three assists in just two career games against New York.

Final NBA Cup Spurs vs Knicks Betting Prediction: Stephon Castle 23+ Points + Assists (-140 Fanatics)

We saw a stretch where Castle delivered 10+ assists in four straight games in November, and is averaging 8.7 dimes over the last ten games. Combine that with an average of 17.5 points and 11.6 shot attempts. Fully healthy now, he's shot 53.3 % from the field and 46.2 % from three over that stretch. That's a massive improvement for a player who averages just 28.6 % from beyond the arc this season.

• The assists speak for themselves—the Spurs have a loaded roster with Wembanyama, D'Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Dylan Harper, Keldon Johnson, and so forth. Castle mostly scores in the restricted area and above-the-break three, which opponents 35.4 % from against the Knicks. I'm taking Stephon Castle to record 23+ points and assists in what should be the biggest game of the year.

Best Total Bet: San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks

Spurs O/U Record: 14-11
Knicks O/U Record: 13-12

• Spurs vs Knicks OVER 233.5 Total Points (-118 DraftKings)

My third-best bet for today, I placed one unit on the Spurs vs. Knicks NBA Cup Championship matchup to total over 233.5 points. I chose to veer away from the moneyline and spread, since the Knicks are elite at clutch moments.

The books aren't predicting a terribly high-scoring matchup, with the over/under total set at 233.5.

We know the Knicks are an offensive powerhouse, averaging a robust 121 points per game, and ranking second in offensive rating (122). Backed by Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart—this team is a well-oiled machine, and they're clutch.

Why This NBA Cup Championship Can Soar Over

We are talking about a team that puts up nearly 40 3-pointers a game and boasts the fifth-best 3-point percentage (37.8 %) in the NBA. Compare that to a Spurs defense that allows the sixth-highest 3-point percentage (37.6 %) to opponents.

I'm expecting plenty of scoring, given the Spurs rank seventh in offensive rating (118) and have exceptional depth. Averaging just north of 119 points per game, we are talking about a Spurs team that gets to the charity stripe quite a bit (26.5 FTA).

Truthfully, I don't trust the Knicks or Spurs' defense, which rank No. 11 and No. 14 in defensive rating, respectively. Between both squads, 14 players average points in double-figures. With an over/under record of 14-11, the Spurs have soared over in three of their last four games, allowing 122.5 points per game.

Final NBA Cup Spurs vs Knicks Betting Prediction: OVER 233.5 Points (-118 DraftKings)

With a 13-12 over/under record, the Knicks HAD been trending upward, allowing just 107.4 points over the last five games.

• Overall, the line opened up at around 227 points and has increased ever since. I'm taking the over, given that both teams don't matchup a ton, and Wembanyama is back in action for the Spurs. Neither team pushes the pace as much, which may be a problem. However, I'm cruising with the over today.