The Thunder and Rockets will battle for a spot in the Emirates NBA Cup Championship game.

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The 2024 Emirates NBA Cup moves to Las Vegas, where the top four teams will compete to determine the tournament’s second-ever champion. The inaugural 2023 NBA Cup, then called the In-Season Tournament, was won by the Los Angeles Lakers. This year, a new champion will be crowned, with the Western Conference representative coming down to either the Houston Rockets or the Oklahoma City Thunder in the final.

These two exciting young teams will go head-to-head in a thrilling semifinal showdown on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at T-Mobile Arena. Earlier in the day, the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta will face off in the other semifinal at 4:30 p.m. ET.

It's the #EmiratesNBACup Semifinals, LIVE FROM VEGAS 🍿🎰

🏆 PPG and APG leaders Giannis (32.7 PPG) and Trae (12.2 APG) headline Hawks vs. Bucks
🏆 Top 2 teams in the West, top 2 defenses in the NBA meet in Rockets vs. Thunder

The Knockout Rounds continue TODAY with Semifinals… pic.twitter.com/5O4BhmzSRH

— NBA (@NBA) December 14, 2024

The Rockets advanced to the semifinals with a nail-biting 91-90 victory over the Golden State Warriors in the quarterfinals. Houston got off to an impressive start, but allowed a second-half Warriors comeback, giving Golden State a one-point lead after a 32-24 third quarter. However, the Rockets came through in the clutch to secure the victory. 

Alperen Sengun was the standout for Houston, posting 26 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Jalen Green contributed with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Fred VanVleet posted eight points and seven assists.

Meanwhile, the Thunder earned their spot with a 118-104 win over the Dallas Mavericks, successfully slowing down the duo of Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. Oklahoma City’s strong starts to the first and second quarters, including a dominant 33-19 third quarter, created enough separation to seal the win.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again led the way continuing his MVP-caliber season with 39 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Jalen Williams notched 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while the defensive efforts of Cason Wallace and Luguentz Dort proved key to slowing down Dallas’ star duo. Wallace and Dort will likely have their hands full once again against Green and VanVleet.

The Rockets are expected to lean on Sengun, who has been their standout performer throughout the NBA Cup averaging 20.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks. However, he’ll need to match up the physicality of Isaiah Hartenstein and Williams in the frontcourt. Dillon Brooks has also been a key contributor for Houston, averaging 16.8 points per game in the NBA Cup, and could take on a crucial defensive role.

The Thunder will lean on Gilgeous-Alexander, who ranks third in the NBA Cup scoring at 32.2 points per game, behind only Nikola Jokić and De’Aaron Fox. Defensive play will also be vital, with Wallace and Dort tasked with slowing down Houston’s backcourt. If they can limit Green and VanVleet, Oklahoma City will be well-positioned to reach the Final.