Oklahoma City’s NBA Cup path has taken it to Vegas and added a wrinkle to the end-of-season standings. Since being introduced as the In-Season Tournament last year, the NBA Cup has been a clear success for the league.

The Thunder should root for the Rockets to advance. Their recent loss to them is mostly the motivation for that. Plus, Houston is near OKC in the standings. An NBA Cup win will give it more breathing room. It'd also be a nice palate cleanser from OKC's most annoying loss.