The Oklahoma City Thunder are back in familiar territory-and they’re not sneaking up on anyone this time.
For the second straight year, OKC has run the table in NBA Cup group play, going a perfect 4-0 against the Timberwolves, Kings, Jazz, and Suns. That clean sweep earns them another trip to the Knockout Round, where eight teams remain in the hunt for the league’s in-season hardware. The Thunder are joined by the Lakers, Spurs, Suns, Knicks, Raptors, Magic, and Heat in the quarterfinals.
This isn’t new ground for Oklahoma City. Last year, they made it all the way to the NBA Cup Finals before falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in the title game.
That loss still lingers. And now, the path to redemption is officially laid out.
Quarterfinal: Thunder vs. Suns (Rematch in Loud City)
The Thunder’s first test is a rematch with the Phoenix Suns, a team they narrowly edged 123-119 last Friday in Oklahoma City. That game had all the tension of a playoff battle, and it came down to the wire. The Suns erased a 12-point deficit and had it within a single point in the final two minutes before Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took over-again.
SGA’s late-game brilliance has become a staple for this team, and it was on full display in that one. But this rematch might look a little different.
OKC was without Isaiah Hartenstein in the first meeting, and his status for the quarterfinal is still up in the air. On the other side, Phoenix was missing sharpshooter Grayson Allen, who has since returned and adds another layer to their offensive attack.
The Thunder will be happy to have Aaron Wiggins back in the mix as well-his energy and versatility could be a difference-maker in a game that figures to be just as tight as the last one. And with this being the final Cup game played in Oklahoma City, you can expect the crowd at Paycom Center to bring playoff-level noise.
Semifinal: Thunder vs. Lakers or Spurs (Vegas Awaits)
If OKC gets past Phoenix, they’ll head to Las Vegas for the semifinals to face either the Lakers or the Spurs. On paper, a neutral-site game sounds fair.
In practice? Not so much.
If LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves make it through, expect the Vegas crowd to tilt heavily purple and gold.
But don’t sleep on San Antonio. Even without Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs have quietly gone 5-2. They’ve shown they can hang tough without their generational big man, and they’ve got the kind of young, fearless roster that can catch fire in a one-game setting.
NBA Cup Finals: The East Awaits
Should the Thunder punch their ticket back to the finals, they’ll be staring down one of the East’s rising stars. Whether it’s Jalen Brunson leading the Knicks, Scottie Barnes powering the Raptors, Bam Adebayo anchoring the Heat, or Paolo Banchero guiding the Magic, OKC will have its hands full.
But make no mistake-this Thunder team has bigger goals in mind than just the NBA Cup. They’re building something sustainable in Oklahoma City, with a young core that’s ahead of schedule and a star in Gilgeous-Alexander who’s already playing like an MVP candidate.
Still, there’s unfinished business here. Last year’s Cup loss stung.
And while the Larry O’Brien Trophy remains the ultimate prize, this group wouldn’t mind bringing some silverware home along the way. The NBA Cup might not carry the same weight as June glory, but for a team trying to establish its winning identity, it’s a chance to plant a flag.
The road to redemption starts now.