LAS VEGAS — Oklahoma City vs. Houston in the NBA Cup semifinals a showdown of the top two teams in the West.
Not that you would know it if you only catch nationally televised games.
The NBA Cup may be more of an introduction for casual fans who have spent their fall and early winter focused on the NFL and college football playoff. Going into this season, the Thunder were the defending No. 1 seed in the West, the betting favorite, and the vast majority of pundits’ choice to win the West, yet they were not in the top 10 in number of nationally televised games. Houston wasn’t in the top 20. With its television broadcasts this season, the NBA has leaned into older stars — and with it, struggling teams.
Thunder, Rockets highlight NBA’s youth movement
OKC’s Alex Caruso recently re-tweeted a fan post pointing out that, starting Dec. 20, the Thunder were scheduled to go a month without a nationally televised game (they have since been flexed into a couple).
“At the end of the day, you want to put the best product on TV, and we’re one of the best products in the league,” Caruso said. “We got young stars, we got young elite role players. We got guys — people don’t even know what kind of basketball player Cason Wallace is in New York and in L.A. and Chicago and Miami, because they don’t get to watch us play on national TV…
“We have an excess of talent, and for them to be able to showcase that and event here, I think is really cool.”
The Thunder’s star and MVP candidate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, agrees.
“As a kid, you grow up, you watch Lakers versus Boston on TV. You watch Miami versus Cleveland. You watch marquee matchups and you watch big games, and you dream about getting there one day,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “To be in this position is special. You don’t take it for granted. At the end of the day, you just want to win. But it’s pretty sweet to be highlighted and showcased in a way.”
Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the main reasons to tune in — the man who finished second in MVP voting a season ago is averaging 30.2 points, 6.3 assists and 5.4 rebounds a night this season with one of the more unique styles of game…
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