OKC Thunder Should Perform Well in NBA Cup Group A Play

Falling short to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup Championship last year ultimately didn't matter for the Oklahoma City Thunder. It went on to earn the ultimate prize, the Larry O'Brien trophy, months later for the very first time in franchise history. While the NBA Cup tournament has stakes in December, its impact becomes rather irrelevant by the time the playoffs arrive.

Still, the NBA Cup tournament is an intriguing way to kick off the regular season. The groups have been finalized, with the Thunder landing in Group A. The rest of the teams consist of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz.

Compared to the rest of the Western Conference, Oklahoma City might've lucked out. Group C is the most stacked lineup with the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets — with the San Antonio Spurs potentially knocking on the door of the playoffs. Group A isn't quite as heavy, but the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies were all playoff teams last season.

Out of Group A, only the Thunder and Timberwolves made it to the playoffs. The two teams met in the Western Conference Finals, in which Oklahoma City came away with a win in a five-game series. Looking at the scope of the West this year, it's hard to see any of the Kings, Suns or Jazz making it to a top-eight seed.

The Thunder will matchup with its Group A opponents on these following dates:

• Friday, Nov. 7 @ Sacramento Kings, 9:00 PM CT, Local TV
• Friday, Nov. 21 @ Utah Jazz, 9:00 PM CT, Local TV
• Wednesday, Nov. 26 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 6:30 PM CT, ESPN
• Friday, Nov. 28 vs. Phoenix Suns, 8:30 PM CT, Local TV

This makes it a fairly easy road to the Final Four of the NBA Cup for Oklahoma City. It's the favorite to win a championship this season, so of course, the expectation is to also win this tournament. It didn't get the job done last time, but it is coming into this season with an entirely different presence.

Minnesota is the only team that should really give it trouble this year, though even it has a lot to prove with how the WCF shook out. However, Anthony Edwards alone positions it as a threat that the Thunder will have to take seriously.

As far as the rest of the pack is concerned, Oklahoma City should be able to cruise through its slate.