Oklahoma City has had no shortage of early success, and its superstar is leading the way.

Sitting at 24-1, the Thunder have tied the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors for the best start through 25 games in league history. Looking to make it 25-1 on Saturday, the Thunder will be in Vegas for an NBA Cup semifinal matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.

Last season, the Thunder were in a similar position, beating the Houston Rockets in that semifinal matchup in Vegas, but were unable to take the NBA Cup, falling in the final to the Milwaukee Bucks. After winning the 2025 title, this NBA Cup gives the Thunder and their superstar a chance at redemption and to send a clear message to the rest of the league.

With just one loss in their first 25 games, the Thunder are the clear favorite to win the NBA title, sitting at -105 to win it all, according to FanDuel. Alongside that, FanDuel also has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the favorite to repeat as MVP at +110.

While Gilgeous-Alexander will likely be in the running for a unanimous MVP if the Thunder can break the all-time wins record, he also has an opportunity to take another step toward some more hardware over the next few days. While Victor Wembanyama’s status for Saturday is still unknown, the Spurs have played solid basketball without him and could give the Thunder a tight matchup.

With Gilgeous-Alexander being the best clutch player in the league this season and often not having to play in the fourth quarter, any type of game this weekend could help propel the reigning MVP on his search for another. Averaging 32.6 points on 56.2% shooting, Gilgeous-Alexander’s incredibly efficient scoring numbers should be on full display in the NBA’s unofficial headquarters against the Spurs.

Of course, one of the biggest boosts to his resume could come in a game that wouldn’t even count in the standings. Assuming the Thunder can get past the Spurs, they would face the New York Knicks or Orlando Magic in the NBA Cup final next week.

With a Thunder win in that matchup effectively clinching the Cup MVP for Gilgeous-Alexander, it would mark the finish of a truly dominant run in the NBA’s in-season tournament. While there will be plenty of basketball left to be played once the dust settles in Vegas, a dominant two-game stretch from the Thunder’s MVP could give him even better odds of coming away with his second.

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