It’s hard to think of a more climactic NBA Cup semifinals than the league’s defending champions, who have only lost one game all season, vs. an up-and-coming, scrappy team getting back the most exciting young player in the world.

Friday was a huge win for the league's office. As the NBA attempts to make its in season tournament feel like a big deal, now in year three of the NBA Cup, they

Finally, San Antonio wanted to trust its depth and 3-point shooting. The Spurs won the bench scoring battle 48-31 and shot 17-of-38 (44.7%) from beyond the arc. The result was a 132-119 San Antonio win that sends them to Las Vegas and the semifinals against the Thunder on Saturday.

While the sample size is small, the collection of like-minded downhill threats appears to have already formed chemistry on and off the court.

Bruce Bowen made a name for himself during his time with the San Antonio Spurs as an elite defender, arguably the best in the league at the time. In the 2014 NBA Finals, Kawhi Leonard was similarly recognized for his defensive qualities and Bowen was asked to comment.