The Mavericks have been the Thunder’s kryptonite. Dallas ousted OKC in the conference semifinals last May, and no matter what the standings say, the Mavericks remain the Thunder

The Thunder should root for the Rockets to advance. Their recent loss to them is mostly the motivation for that. Plus, Houston is near OKC in the standings. An NBA Cup win will give it more breathing room. It'd also be a nice palate cleanser from OKC's most annoying loss.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Houston Rockets in the 2024 NBA Cup semifinals. The single-elimination contest will be held in Las Vegas on Saturday, Dec. 14. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. CT. The West winner will face either the Milwaukee Bucks or Atlanta Hawks.