LAS VEGAS, Nev. — All Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did last season was lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA title, win a scoring crown, claim the league's MVP award and cap it all off by winning NBA Finals MVP.
Only one thing was missing.
Silly as it might sound for a team that went 68-14 in the regular season and won the NBA title and is off to a record-tying 24-1 start this season, the NBA Cup is very much a motivator for the Thunder. They played in the Cup final last year and lost. They're back in Las Vegas for the Cup semifinals this season, knowing the only trophy that got away last year is just two wins away.