PREVIEW: For the first time in franchise history, the San Antonio Spurs will play a win-or-go-home NBA Cup game after going 3-1 in group play with impressive victories over the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets. The Spurs will take on the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers in the quarterfinals without their superstar big man Victor Wembanyama, who remains sidelined with a calf strain. The Lakers represent one of the league's most dangerous offenses, ranking sixth in offensive rating while scoring 118.3 points per game. However, Los Angeles sits 20th in defensive rating as their biggest weakness, allowing teams to score 116 points per game due to the absence of a true rim protector and inconsistent defensive play from their guards. San Antonio has struggled to maintain the level of basketball they displayed during group play, suffering back-to-back third-quarter collapses against the Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Pelicans. The Spurs' offense ranks seventh in the league at 119.6 points per game, though their defense still needs work at 11th in the NBA, allowing 115.3 points nightly. The Lakers feature a three-headed monster with Luka Doncic putting up 35.0 points along with 9.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists, while Austin Reaves contributes 28.4 points and 6.7 assists per game. This matchup may come down to whether San Antonio can keep pace with Los Angeles offensively rather than slow them down defensively, potentially setting up a shootout in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.