NBA Cup Final: Knicks vs. Spurs

What happens in Vegas may not be staying in Vegas.

According to multiple reports, the NBA Cup final may be leaving the City of Exorbitant Resort Fees, Triple-Zero Roulette and 6-to-5 Blackjack beginning next year. The league reportedly is unhappy with the less-than-enthusiastic reception the event has received in three years in Sin City.

That means that, much like a space shuttle launch or a New York Jets Super Bowl parade, tonight's NBA Cup final between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at T-Mobile Arena is something you may never see again. That raises the question: If the Knicks win, will the City of New York throw a parade through the Canyon of Heroes?

The Knicks (18-7) have won five in a row and are coming off a 132-120 win over the Magic in the semifinals. Meanwhile, the young Spurs (18-7) reached the final by upsetting the reigning NBA champions Thunder, 111-109, ending Oklahoma City's 16-game winning streak. The Thunder had lost only one other time this season.

New York is a 2.5-point favorite over San Antonio on Tuesday night.

While Knicks-Spurs is the marquee attraction on Tuesday, there are other options on a sporting landscape that also includes a full college basketball schedule and the Salute to Veterans Bowl. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Tuesday, Dec. 16. All times Eastern.

NBA Cup Final Best Bets, Where to Watch

Knicks vs. Spurs

Time: 8:30 p.m. | Location: Las Vegas | TV: Prime Video

SportsLine picks -- Model: Over 231.5 | Expert: Jalen Brunson Over 29.5 total points -125 (Larry Hartstein)

Victor Wembanyama once again may not start for San Antonio. Coach Mitch Johnson said he is considering having the 7-foot-4 star come off the bench again on Tuesday, since Wembanyama is still working his way back from injury. Wembanyama missed 12 games because of a left calf strain but returned in Saturday's semifinal win over Oklahoma City to score 22 points and grab nine rebounds in 21 minutes.

Meanwhile, Hartstein notes Jalen Brunson has scored 30+ points in four straight games, including a 40-point outburst in the NBA Cup semifinal. "He has played 39 minutes in each of the last two rounds and that should be his floor Tuesday in the final," Hartstein says. The SportsLine Projection Model says there's a 61% chance the teams combine for 232 points or more and assigns a "B" grade to Over 231.5.

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs

College Football Best Bets, Where to Watch

Salute to Veterans Bowl: Jacksonville State vs. Troy

Time: 9 p.m. | Location: Montgomery, Ala. | TV: ESPN

SportsLine picks -- Model: Jacksonville State -1.5 | Expert: Jacksonville Stare +3.5 (Jeff Hochman)

Injury and opt-out season have left Troy's offensive line thin entering the bowl game. Left tackle Eli Russ (knee) and guard/center Paul Bowling (opt out) both will not play on Tuesday. In addition, starting running back Tae Meadows (159 carries for 695 yards and six touchdowns) plans to enter the transfer portal and has opted out as well. That won't help an offense that already has struggled this season, ranking 90th in scoring (24.3 points per game).

On defense, the Trojans are giving up 182.7 rushing yards per game (111th in the country) and will face a Jacksonville State offense that ranks fourth in the nation in rushing (258.0 per game). "The Gamecocks are better in the trenches and have three wins against quality fellow bowl teams," Hochman says. The SportsLine Projection Model agrees. It says Jacksonville State has a 62% chance to cover and gives a "B" grade to Gamecocks -1.5.

College Basketball Best Bets, Where to Watch

No. 11 Louisville at No. 20 Tennessee

Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Knoxville, Tenn. | TV: ESPN

SportsLine picks -- Model: Tennessee -2.5

Louisville has a trio of guards that's arguably as good as any in the country: Ryan Conwell (19.4 points per game), Mikel Brown Jr. (16.6) and Isaac McKneely (11.4). Led by those three, the Cardinals (9-1) own the second-best offense in college basketball, averaging 127.0 points per 100 possessions. But in their only true road game, they lost at No. 25 Arkansas.

On the other side, the Tennessee Volunteers (7-3) own a win over the No. 3 Houston Cougars but have lost three in a row. The Volunteers enter Tuesday's game after a much-needed 10-day break to straighten things out and get some bounce back in their legs. The SportsLine Projection Model says Tennessee has a 64% chance to cover and assigns a "B" grade to Volunteers -2.5.

South Carolina at Clemson

Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Clemson, S.C. | TV: ESPN2

SportsLine picks -- Model: Over 142.5

Two heated rivals collide when the Clemson Tigers (8-3) host the South Carolina Gamecocks (7-3) at Littlejohn Coliseum. The Tigers are coming off a narrow 70-63 win over Mercer, but two games ago they nearly pulled off a huge upset over AJ Dybantsa and No. 10 BYU in the Jimmy V Classic in New York City. Kenpom ranks Clemson No. 30 in the country.

Meanwhile, the Gamecocks are 7-0 against non-power conference schools and 0-3 against power conference schools. The SportsLine Projection Model says there's a 73.1% chance the teams combine for 143 points or more and gives a "B" grade to Over 142.5.