NBA Cup Leaves OKC Thunder With Schedule Disadvantage

The Thunder advanced to the final game of the NBA Cup, but that came with consequences.

Dec 17, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles against Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) during the 1st quarter of the Emirates NBA Cup championship game at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Thunder nearly achieved NBA Cup glory, but they will now face the punishment for making it to the championship. 

After Oklahoma City lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 97-81 in Vegas on Tuesday, the league had zero games on Wednesday. That was a smart move by the NBA to avoid a potential back-to-back for the teams that make the championship. 

However, the league’s catering for teams that could make the NBA Cup championship ends on Thursday. In the first night of action since the cup concluded, there will be 26 teams in action across 13 games. 

While the Bucks got lucky and are among the four teams still off, the Thunder will face the Orlando Magic. With the game being in Orlando, the team had to spend its lone day off traveling across three time zones. 

Meanwhile, Orlando has been waiting at home since its most recent game, a loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday. Oklahoma City’s players clearly enjoyed the challenge of playing an 83rd game in the regular season, but it puts the team at a severe rest disadvantage on the front end of a back-to-back. 

After facing the Magic, the Thunder will stay in Florida and travel south to face the Miami Heat. After playing an extra game on Tuesday, traveling three time zones and facing a gritty Magic team, the Thunder’s reward will be to play again a night later. 

Of course, back-to-backs happen all the time and aren’t necessarily a main issue of the Thunder’s schedule this week. However, it does show that the league probably needs to alter its schedule surrounding the cup going into next season. 

Regardless, the Thunder enter Orlando as a solid favorite and are looking to improve to 21-5. Despite the issues the NBA Cup might have caused in the following days, the experience of playing in a high-stakes game in November will be well worth it come playoff time.

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