The San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic have emerged as surprise finalists in the NBA Cup, drawing inspiration from the Indiana Pacers, who narrowly missed the 2025 NBA championship. The Pacers faced off against the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder in a dramatic Game 7, which concluded with a heartbreaking loss after Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles rupture. Previously, the Pacers had reached the final of the inaugural NBA Cup, a journey that has proven instrumental in shaping their current aspirations.
As the Spurs prepare to challenge the New York Knicks in Tuesday’s final, they find themselves in a similar context. San Antonio has triumphed in four consecutive must-win games since the group stage, with their latest success coming without star player Victor Wembanyama. Despite losing the final 124-113, the experience gained during their NBA Cup journey could serve as a crucial stepping stone toward a playoff run, following the Pacers’ example.
The Magic, on the other hand, are determined to use their NBA Cup experience to advance further in the postseason. They have not won a playoff series since 2010, when Dwight Howard led them to the Eastern Conference Finals. In contrast, the Spurs are poised to end their playoff drought, having last appeared in the postseason in 2019.
Learning from the Pacers’ Journey
The Pacers’ 2023 roster featured Bruce Brown, a recent NBA champion, yet ten of the fourteen players in that final had no prior playoff experience. This included Haliburton, who had struggled through three seasons with teams that consistently finished below .500. The current rosters of both the Magic and Spurs possess slightly more playoff experience, but not by much. The Magic hold the second-fewest combined playoff games in the league, with only 139, while the Spurs’ roster has a total of 225 games, primarily attributed to veterans like Harrison Barnes and Kelly Olynyk.
In the Spurs’ locker room, the atmosphere shifts between experience and youth. De’Aaron Fox, having contributed to the Sacramento Kings’ playoff success, stands alongside promising talents like Dylan Harper, who was the second overall pick in the 2025 draft. Their performances during the NBA Cup have showcased their potential, particularly Wembanyama, who returned from injury to contribute significantly in San Antonio’s upset victory over the Thunder.
The Knicks, despite not adding the NBA Cup to their recent accolades, have a wealth of playoff experience, having won series in each of the last three seasons. This established success provides them with an advantage that the Spurs and Magic are still striving to achieve.
Future Prospects for Spurs and Magic
A critical difference between the Pacers and this year’s finalists is the strategic choices made after their respective NBA Cup runs. The Pacers’ experience against the Lakers led them to trade for Pascal Siakam, a decision that proved pivotal as they advanced to the conference finals before reaching the NBA Finals. The Magic are hoping to replicate this by acquiring Desmond Bane, whose performance in the NBA Cup quarterfinals against Miami has helped ignite their aspirations.
The Spurs’ recent acquisition of Fox has provided a stabilizing presence, showcasing his ability to lead the team following a hamstring injury. His contributions have been vital in high-stakes games, particularly in maintaining momentum against the Lakers.
While the Spurs have room to enhance their roster further before the playoffs, the Magic’s prospects appear promising. They entered the season with heightened expectations and have a clearer path to playoff success, especially in light of injuries affecting other Eastern Conference teams. Projections indicate that the Magic have a better chance of securing a top-four seed and home-court advantage in the playoffs, with simulations placing their odds for reaching the conference finals at 31%, compared to the Spurs’ 9.5%.
As the Spurs and Magic look toward the postseason, their experiences from the NBA Cup have provided invaluable lessons. Whether they can match the Pacers’ success in transforming their playoff fortunes remains to be seen, but the groundwork has been laid for significant breakthroughs in the near future. The journey of these teams emphasizes that the NBA Cup can serve as an essential catalyst for future playoff success.
