The first quarter between the Thunder and Spurs followed that script. The Thunder led by 11 after 12 minutes. And then Victor Wembanyama stepped on the floor, and the NBA felt competitive again.

Victor Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 111-109 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Hall of Famer has an emotional stake in the San Antonio Spurs, the team he helped win four championships, and this was before the Spurs played the behemoth from Oklahoma City in the semifinals. Let’s just say that, after the fact, that stake has now intensified.

Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence dealing with a calf strain. He made it back in time for the NBA Cup semifinals. It was a good experience for the Spurs as they will likely punch their ticket to the playoffs for the first time with their young group this year.

The Spurs, Rockets, and Thunder don't seem to be interested in making a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available.

The OKC Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs face off tonight in NBA Cup action — here's the channel, schedule, streaming and more.

The Thunder traveled back to OKC with some money in their pockets. They received $107K per player. For context, the NBA Cup winner sees each player get $531K. The runner-up will see $212K per player. And the quarterfinals losers get $54K per player.