Preparing for the NBA Cup, Gilgeous-Alexander had quite a handful of notable quotes from what he was asked at the December extravaganza. It's one thing for pundits and fans to wonder if the Thunder could make history with the absurd amount of wins they get. It's another to hear OKC's franchise superstar fully embrace those talks.

Here’s how much the NBA Cup semifinals against Oklahoma City meant to San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama: He grabbed the ball after a missed Thunder shot in the final moments, squeezed it and screamed in delight.

Contenders like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks have advanced to the knockout round of the 2025 NBA Cup.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/thunder/onsi as OKC Thunder See Short Injury Report for Cup Matchup with Suns.

SportsLine's model simulated New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic 10,000 times and revealed its 2025 NBA Cup semifinal picks for Saturday in Las Vegas