How the NBA Cup Knockout Stage Works?

The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Phoenix Suns to begin the NBA Cup knockout stage. The Thunder get back their superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as well as key pieces like Lu Dort and Alex Caruso for this matchup. How does the knockout stage work?

Nov 30, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) smiles at a fan during the second half in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, each side of the Western Conference quarterfinal matchup between the Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder got good news. The OKC Thunder saw Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander come off the injury report as well as defensive aces Alex Caruso and Lu Dort returning from their injuries. On the flip side, while the Suns are still without Jalen Green their star Devin Booker was elevated to questionable as he deals with a groin injury.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns will tip-off the Western Conference quarterfinals of the NBA Cup knockout stage on Wednesday night. THis is just the third year of the NBA Cup, formerly known as the in-season tournament, let's give a run down of how it works.

Oklahoma City and Phoenix will do battle for the right to advance to the Las Vegas semi-final round. If the Thunder are able to win not only will they extend their winning streak to a franchise best 16 games, but they would tie the Golden State Warriors' 24-1 start for the best in league history.

The Thunder would also be sitting in Vegas for the second time in as many years. The winner of this Suns-Thunder tilt awaits the winner of the Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs clash on the opposite side of the bracket to make up the semi-final game for Saturday in Sin City.

The winner of Saturday's semi-final game will take on the winner of the New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic Eastern Conference semi-final game in the NBA Cup championship on Tuesday in Vegas, Saturday and Tuesday, as well as these two quarter-final dates are stand-alone on the NBA calendar with no games competing against these knockout stage tiles.

However, the losers of the Thunder-Suns and Lakers-Spurs games will need to play each other to make up their 82nd game of the season. That contest would be in a to-be-determined home market once the losers are decided with game day likely set for either Friday night or Sunday night.

All games from the Quarterfinal stage to semifinals to championship game are exclusively shown on Amazon Prime giving each team added National TV time –– of which the Thunder already lead to the league in.

Stay tuned to Thunder on SI for complete coverage of the Oklahoma City Thunder's NBA Cup run, the fall out from it and the entire season as the OKC Thunder attempt to chase history.