Indiana (14 - 7)

Expert Pick
33% ·······><············· 67%

San Antonio (13 - 5)

GOTW - Knot The Kornet Kup!


This week's matchup between the Indiana Pacers, led by GM Yeet, and the San Antonio Spurs, managed by GM Nels, arrives with two very different storylines shaping each team’s path into this contest. Indiana enters the game battling through an injury-fuelled beginning to their season. The league thought they were about to receive the blockbuster - Kornet Kup, but we will have to wait on that! Key contributors such as Luke Kornet, Darius Garland, Chet Holmgren, and Walker Kessler all remain sidelined, leaving GM Yeet scrambling to keep the rotation functional and the team identity intact. Despite the setbacks, the Pacers have shown resilience, leaning heavily on emerging depth pieces and adapting game plans on the fly. But will it be enough against a Spurs outfit, hungry to straight the season with a bang! San Antonio, by contrast, strolls into the matchup with a much cleaner bill of health. Outside of an isolated absence to Alex Toohey, GM Nels’ squad has been untouched by the injury bug. That stability has given the Spurs the advantage of consistency—longer stretches of lineup chemistry, clearer roles, and stronger continuity on both ends of the floor - helpful during the beginning of the season when every GM seeks to find their perfect mix. With one team patching holes and the other thriving off a settled roster, the stage is set for a compelling clash of perseverance versus stability. Expected Lineup PG - Ryan Rollins v Cade Cunningham SG - Jamal Murray v Mikal Bridges SF - Giannis Antetokounmpo v Zaccharie Risacher PF - Wendell Carter Jr. v Rui Hachimura C - Rudy Gobert v Precious Achiuwa

This week's matchup between the Indiana Pacers, led by GM Yeet, and the San Antonio Spurs, managed by GM Nels, arrives with two very different storylines shaping each team’s path into this contest. Indiana enters the game battling through an injury-fuelled beginning to their season. The league thought they were about to receive the blockbuster - Kornet Kup, but we will have to wait on that!

Key contributors such as Luke Kornet, Darius Garland, Chet Holmgren, and Walker Kessler all remain sidelined, leaving GM Yeet scrambling to keep the rotation functional and the team identity intact. Despite the setbacks, the Pacers have shown resilience, leaning heavily on emerging depth pieces and adapting game plans on the fly. But will it be enough against a Spurs outfit, hungry to straight the season with a bang!

San Antonio, by contrast, strolls into the matchup with a much cleaner bill of health. Outside of an isolated absence to Alex Toohey, GM Nels’ squad has been untouched by the injury bug. That stability has given the Spurs the advantage of consistency—longer stretches of lineup chemistry, clearer roles, and stronger continuity on both ends of the floor - helpful during the beginning of the season when every GM seeks to find their perfect mix. With one team patching holes and the other thriving off a settled roster, the stage is set for a compelling clash of perseverance versus stability. Expected Lineup PG - Ryan Rollins v Cade Cunningham SG - Jamal Murray v Mikal Bridges SF - Giannis Antetokounmpo v Zaccharie Risacher PF - Wendell Carter Jr. v Rui Hachimura C - Rudy Gobert v Precious Achiuwa

Pacers Star

Cade Cunningham
For Indiana, everything runs through Cade Cunningham, the steady-handed star who has carried the franchise through its early-season turbulence. Cade’s poise, playmaking IQ, and ability to elevate teammates have been critical with so many key players missing. He controls tempo like a veteran floor general, threading passes into impossible windows while scoring efficiently at all three levels. GM Yeet has leaned on Cunningham not just as a primary scorer, but as the emotional anchor of a battered roster—his leadership keeping Indiana competitive when circumstances suggest otherwise. As long as Cade is on the floor, the Pacers have direction, identity, and belief.

Cade Cunningham has come into the preseason looking every bit like a franchise star that Yeet needs him to be. Putting up quietly dominant numbers that underline just how central he is to GM Yeet’s Indiana blueprint. Across just 25.5 minutes per game, Cunningham averaged 13.5 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds, showcasing his all-around impact without even needing starter-level minutes. His 48% shooting from the field demonstrates improved efficiency - necessary against a full Spurs lineup. Cade has proven he's the Pacers’ stabiliser, engine, and guiding force—exactly the star GM Yeet needs while navigating an injury-hit roster.

PPG 28.8

RPG 4.9

APG 7.0

SPG 0.4

BPG 0.6

FPG 1.9

TPG 2.3

PPG 31.5

RPG 9.5

APG 8.3

SPG 1.2

BPG 1.7

FPG 1.7

TPG 3.3

Spurs Star

Giannis Antetokounmpo
In San Antonio, stands Giannis Antetokounmpo, arguably the best asset in all of 2K and the centrepiece of GM Nels’ winning formula. Giannis warps the game in ways few players can, overwhelming defenses with relentless rim pressure, elite transition dominance, and defensive versatility that erases mistakes across the floor. With the Spurs enjoying near-perfect roster health, Giannis has been unleashed—putting up video-game numbers and anchoring San Antonio as both its tactical weapon and unstoppable engine.

Indiana must find a way to slow down the one player few in the league have an answer for. Giannis Antetokounmpo has stormed through the preseason with the kind of dominance that reminds everyone why he’s considered the most valuable asset in 2K. In just 30.5 minutes per game, Giannis averaged a monstrous 25.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists, delivering superstar production without ever needing to push beyond cruise control. His defensive presence - 1 steal and 1.5 blocks per game - made every drive an adventure for opponents. For GM Nels, the preseason only reaffirmed what he already knew: when Giannis is locked in, the Spurs don’t just have an advantage - they have a cheat code.

X-Factor
Health is the Deciding X-Factor! The defining X-factor in this matchup isn’t pace, shooting, or star power—it’s health, and it tilts the court strongly toward San Antonio. GM Nels arrives with a rotation that’s almost completely intact, aside from the minor absence of Alex Toohey, giving the Spurs full access to their high-impact starting five. With Giannis, Gobert, Murray, Wendell Carter Jr., and Rollins all healthy and producing at a high level, as shown by their combined dominance in the previous outines, San Antonio can lean into continuity, chemistry, and well-established roles. Their starters accumulate rebounds, force turnovers, and control tempo with no disruption to their system; with little resistant on the other side it would seem. Indiana walks into the arena with nearly half its core taped together on the injury report. Walker Kessler, Chet Holmgren, Darius Garland, and Luke Kornet - four rotation pillars - are all sidelined, leaving GM Yeet to piece together a lineup from what remains. Without their size, rim protection, and playmaking depth, the Pacers have to rely on players being stretched into roles far larger than intended. Even with Cade Cunningham playing at a star level and Mikal Bridges offering two-way reliability, the contrast in stability between the two teams is stark. San Antonio’s health gives them balance, spacing, defensive anchors, and lineup flexibility; Indiana’s injuries force them into survival mode from the opening tip. In a league built on rhythm and cohesion, the ability simply to put your best five on the floor may be the difference that decides everything tonight. We won't have a true indication of both teams in this battle. As Indiana are truly undermanned, and reliant on their supporting cast!

X-Factor

Health is the Deciding X-Factor!

The defining X-factor in this matchup isn’t pace, shooting, or star power—it’s health, and it tilts the court strongly toward San Antonio. GM Nels arrives with a rotation that’s almost completely intact, aside from the minor absence of Alex Toohey, giving the Spurs full access to their high-impact starting five. With Giannis, Gobert, Murray, Wendell Carter Jr., and Rollins all healthy and producing at a high level, as shown by their combined dominance in the previous outines, San Antonio can lean into continuity, chemistry, and well-established roles. Their starters accumulate rebounds, force turnovers, and control tempo with no disruption to their system; with little resistant on the other side it would seem.

Indiana walks into the arena with nearly half its core taped together on the injury report. Walker Kessler, Chet Holmgren, Darius Garland, and Luke Kornet - four rotation pillars - are all sidelined, leaving GM Yeet to piece together a lineup from what remains. Without their size, rim protection, and playmaking depth, the Pacers have to rely on players being stretched into roles far larger than intended. Even with Cade Cunningham playing at a star level and Mikal Bridges offering two-way reliability, the contrast in stability between the two teams is stark.

San Antonio’s health gives them balance, spacing, defensive anchors, and lineup flexibility; Indiana’s injuries force them into survival mode from the opening tip. In a league built on rhythm and cohesion, the ability simply to put your best five on the floor may be the difference that decides everything tonight.

We won't have a true indication of both teams in this battle. As Indiana are truly undermanned, and reliant on their supporting cast!

Injury Report
Injured Players: Alex Toohey () - 9 NBA Games missed this season	Injured Players: Luke Kornet () - 7 NBA Games missed this season Darius Garland () - 11 NBA Games missed this season Chet Holmgren () - 4 NBA Games missed this season Walker Kessler () - 7 NBA Games missed this season

Prediction
With the abundance of injuries in Indiana, it is difficult to see any other victor than the Spurs. A full strength Spurs roster at any time is tough, let alone when you have several significant starters unable to step onto the court. The San Antonio coverage will be too much here, and players will be loose. Sadly for GM Yeet and the viewing public, I expect a 18 point win here for the San Antonio Spurs.

Prediction

With the abundance of injuries in Indiana, it is difficult to see any other victor than the Spurs.

A full strength Spurs roster at any time is tough, let alone when you have several significant starters unable to step onto the court.

The San Antonio coverage will be too much here, and players will be loose.

Sadly for GM Yeet and the viewing public, I expect a 18 point win here for the San Antonio Spurs.

		Comments (1)
Nels 11/17 01:15 am	Luke Kornet ducking us. Coward. Thanks for the write up Breece and good luck Yeet!

	UTAH	124
	MIA	117

	NO	133
	PHI	103

	ATL	124
	BKN	100

	POR	119
	SAC	127

	CHI	112
	MIN	110