Victor Wembanyama's Marquee Games vs Lakers, Knicks Announced

"I am excited about our team," Spurs Sports & Entertainment SVP of Strategic Growth Brandon James said Thursday. "We're going to surprise a lot of people. We have a good, young team. A lot of talent, roster flexibility."

With that came the largest national spotlight the team has seen in four seasons. And a bigger range of "marquee" matchups. Behind Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle, the Spurs are gearing up for a run at the Western Conference Playoffs.

"It's going to be exciting to see that pairing." James said of Wembanyama, Fox.

They'll have several obstacles to jump first.

Spurs Draw Knicks on New Year's Eve

To kick things off, San Antonio will face the Anthony Davis-led Mavericks on the road before a five-game break with only one playoff opponent from last season.

Sandwiching those games is a road game against Luka Dončić, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, which kicks off a tougher portion of San Antonio's schedule, including the first of four matchups against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets.

Every game between the Spurs and Rockets will be nationally televised.

In November, San Antonio begins Group Play for the 2025 NBA Cup. Four matchups against the other teams in West Group C will determine if it advances to the knockout stage — a feat yet to be accomplished by the Spurs since the in-season tournament's induction.

San Antonio gets a home-and-home with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 23 and 25 — the latter matchiup part of the NBA's Christmas Day slate — before closing out the year with a home game against the New York Knicks.

The Spurs will have a chance to score revenge on another December holiday against New York after a blowout last Christmas. From there, the rodeo road trip in late February will carry San Antonio into the All-Star Break and a pair of games in Austin for the team's fourth annual "I-35 Series."

If its plan goes well, San Antonio will have playoff stakes when March comes around. A turn of good fortune resulted in four straight home games against the Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Mavericks and Denver Nuggets to close out the season.