OKC NBA Cup Odds: Can They Win This Time?

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been showing dominance for the whole season. They have been taking down opponents left and right, and it seems that no one can stop them. With OKC’s NBA Cup odds showing high promise, do the defending champs actually have what it takes to win it all for the first time?

We have seen how they can play with a reigning MVP leading the way. We have seen second-round selections suddenly rise to prominence and impress. Everything is falling right for OKC, even with some of their key players injured. Considering they fell short of the NBA Cup last year, it seems that this run would be a time to finally win it all.

OKC NBA Cup Odds: Can They Win This Time?

Emerging as the favorites for the NBA Cup with odds of -125, Oklahoma City is in a prime position to continue its dominant season. However, given how basketball gods can be surprisingly cruel, there may be some challenges along the way. Will the Thunder make history, or will they fall short?

The Dominant Thunder Season

Needless to say, OKC is owning the league this season. They are winning dominantly—even with their original starters playing zero minutes together. So far, the Thunder are clicking right now, just in time to find their way for another shot at the NBA Cup.

Oklahoma City stands with a 23-1 record, which is one win away from the 2016 Warriors’ 24-1 start. The latter ended up setting a historic 73-9 season, but this year’s Thunder team is projected to go for 77 wins at least. They are riding on a 15-game winning streak, and currently have a league-leading 15.9 net rating. It doesn’t seem tough to believe that they can win it all.

When it comes to the NBA Cup, OKC’s odds are reasonable. They are one of the four undefeated teams in this regard. But what sets them apart is that they are tied with the New York Knicks in point differential at +512 (NYK has a 3-1 record). If you are not impressed, the Thunder have completely played the Group Stages with varying lineups.

To make it even better, the Thunder are approaching the Quarterfinal stages with a whole new look. Isaiah Hartenstein‘s injury has cost them a pivotal playmaker in the post. The absence of both Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso is also hampering their defense. Jalen Williams is still shaking off some rust after recovering from his wrist surgery. Chet Holmgren was also missing some games to begin the season. In a sense, OKC is yet to fully synchronize, but they are heavy favorites to win it all.

OKC’s NBA Cup Chances – Can They Win?

Last season, the Thunder soared high to the NBA Cup Final. They’ve impressed well in taking down various contenders in Dallas and Houston before losing to Milwaukee. This time, however, the Bucks are out of the picture, but OKC is going to be the second team going back-to-back NBA Cup Finals appearances.

That being said, the Thunder are high off the food chain for this one. In fact, they are the favorites to win this year’s NBA Cup by a mile. New York has odds of +550 in the second place, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers at +600. OKC’s Quarterfinal opponent, the Phoenix Suns, has the lowest odds at +6,000. See how everything is stacking up in favor of Oklahoma City?

Provided that the odds prove to be right, OKC may be breezing past the Suns. Then, they would likely face Los Angeles in the semis. While LeBron James has recently found his groove, the Thunder big three of Chet, J-Dub, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing together is quite a tough task for anyone. They are yet to play New York this season, but maybe this final game will go down the wire, but still end up in OKC’s favor.

Winning the Cup is Big For OKC

Despite being the reigning champions, OKC’s payroll doesn’t really attract a lot of attention. Their only dollars are spread through SGA, Chet, and J-Dub. Dort and Hartenstein also have some big pennies coming their way, but their deals are expiring soon. In a sense, Sam Presti still knows how to balance competitiveness in the league and financing the team. They even have 6MOTY candidate Ajay Mitchell on a three-year, $8.7 million contract. Make it make sense, OKC.

Winning the Cup is a huge boost to Oklahoma City’s on-court personnel. After all, players on the winning team will be receiving $514,971 each—which is definitely not bad of an individual reward.