Cue Squabble Up by Kendrick Lamar.
The Emirates NBA Cup came to an end Tuesday night after the Oklahoma City Thunder fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in the worst way.
Shots weren’t falling, Giannis got whatever he wanted on both ends of the floor, and the officials? Let’s just say they weren’t exactly on OKC’s side—phantom fouls, blatant ones ignored, and technicals handed out because the Thunder dared to call out the discrepancies.
But hey, no need to stay salty—the game won’t even count. Shai’s off night, OKC abandoning the midrange, and everything else about this game? Gone and should be forgotten.
The Cup was a learning experience for the league’s youngest team—still overachieving, by the way. It’s a lesson they’ll benefit from as they work toward becoming the league’s next dynasty. But what exactly did they learn?
This team has an edge a lot of people didn’t see coming.
One critique of the Thunder last season—mine included—was that they were as soft as Charmin. They played hard, played physical basketball, but nobody really stepped up to the league’s toughest players. OKC didn’t need a Draymond Green-type, flying off the handle at every turn, but they did need someone to keep a Draymond-type in check.
Turns out, the Thunder have a few guys who are more than ready for the smoke. From Shai Gilgeous-Alexander holding his own in a relentless but composed dust-up with his Canadian buddy Dillon Brooks, to Cason Wallace not letting Alperen Sengun get away with his antics, and Isaiah Hartenstein stepping in to deal with Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr. after messing with Shai—this team has proven they can bring the fight. It’s that perfect mix of technical skill and aggression that screams championship potential.
“If it would’ve happened to any other teammate, I would’ve done the same thing,” Hartenstein said about his altercation with Jackson Jr. “If the refs don’t call it, I have to take it into my own hands.”
Now, I doubt that’s Sam Presti’s favorite quote of the season, but it sums up the culture Mark Daigneault is building. Daigneault may look calm, cool, and collected, but he’s added just the right amount of hostility—calling out missed free throw calls, challenging officials when needed, and fostering a team that always has each other’s backs.
“They’ve got each other’s back,” Brook Lopez told Thunder reporter Joel Lorenzi. “When they’re playing, it’s like Legion. They’re really one, and they move together.”
After missing the NBA Cup quarterfinals last season, OKC still went on to clinch the West’s top seed and make a deep Playoff run. This year, they’ve proven the Emirates NBA Cup is really just a test run—a barometer for what’s to come. Now, it’s back to business as they restart the season against Orlando on Thursday night, in the middle of a five-game winning streak.
Excellent!!!!