The OKC Thunder Should Have No Problem Emerging From NBA Cup Group

With the NBA Cup schedule and groups released, OKC should be the favorite to win its group.

Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) brings the ball up court against the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Thunder should have no problem making a run at the NBA Cup this year. 

With another season getting closer by the day, the Thunder are preparing to dominate each and every aspect of it. This includes the fourth-ever NBA Cup, a tournament that OKC has yet to capture. This could be Oklahoma City’s year to do so, and the group the Thunder drew shouldn’t make it too big of a challenge to do so. 

The Thunder were sorted into Group B of the NBA Cup, where they will face the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies. To advance from this group, OKC would have to either be at the top of the group at the end of group play or have the best record of all the non-group winners. However, it doesn’t seem like the Thunder should have too much trouble moving from the group stage. 

The Thunder swept the season series last year against every team in the group besides the Minnesota Timberwolves. This trend could easily remain the same, as none of the three teams added any major pieces during the offseason. 

The Grizzlies had a solid draft and added a potential future superstar in Cameron Boozer, but won’t be able to rely on a rookie to lead them past a team as dominant as OKC. New Orleans had a quiet offseason, and although it could be dangerous if the whole team stays healthy, it just hasn’t proven it can win big games. The Clippers shouldn’t prove to be a challenge either, as they have only seemed to regress. The team is searching for an identity to mold around and just hasn’t seemed to find it yet. 

Then there is the Minnesota Timberwolves. A scary team out of the West that will be looking to compete for a championship with the addition of LaMelo Ball this offseason. The Thunder and Timberwolves split the season series last year 2-2, with each game being relatively close. OKC could lose against Minnesota and still make it past the group stage if it beats every other team in Group B, but it’s hard to bet against the Thunder when just one game matters. 

The Thunder should not have a problem emerging from Group B and will then set its sights on the knockout stages of the tournament. The team fell short in the semi-finals last year against the San Antonio Spurs, and this year will be looking to finally secure its first-ever Emirates NBA Cup.