The Rockets went 2-1 last week with their NBA Cup run ending on Saturday in the semifinals with a loss to the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, 111-96.

“I look at last year and I thought Indiana — do they make the Eastern finals if they don’t have this tournament,” Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers pondered Friday, on the eve of the 2024 NBA Cup final four in Las Vegas. “It gives you kind of a free practice run on playoff situations,” Rivers added.

Through the game’s first nine minutes, the Thunder scored only nine points. Through 12, the teams combined to shoot 13-for-47, including 4-for-22 on 3-pointers. They had nine turnovers, which weren’t debilitating to either squad because nobody was capable of turning even the mistakes into easy points.