Spurs Steamroll, Smart Suspended

Chaos hit the NBA contenders from every angle this week — injuries, suspensions, and even a nationwide flight ground stop, all while the NBA Cup group stage is heating up. The Spurs made a statement by crushing the Warriors 123-85 as Steph Curry sat out with a torn oblique, pushing San Antonio’s win streak to 11. Rookie Stephon Castle exploded for 32 points, and Wembanyama kept up his double-double pace, keeping the Spurs and Lakers neck-and-neck at the top. But with Curry out for weeks, Golden State’s playoff hopes now rest on rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who’s suddenly carrying the load as the Warriors’ main scorer and three-point threat — the pressure is on, and the Cup group is too tight for error.

But here’s the catch: the drama isn’t limited to injuries. Houston Rockets guard Marcus Smart got a three-game suspension for a punch, leaving his team scrambling to fill the leadership and defensive void. Meanwhile, travel chaos caused by the FAA grounded teams for hours, forcing day-of-game flights and threatening to sap players’ legs just as Cup tiebreakers could come down to razor-thin margins. And the Rookie of the Year race is wide open after Chicago’s Caleb Wilson fractured his hand, with Lendeborg, Memphis’ Cameron Boozer, and Sacramento’s Darius Acuff Jr. all making their case — but on teams with wildly different fortunes.

Featuring reporting from NBA.com, ESPN, CBS Sports, and The Guardian.

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