1 big reason why each NBA Cup quarter-finalist needs to win the tournament

This is only the second year the NBA Cup has been around, but the results so far have been fairly interesting.

Teams are playing unusually competitive basketball in mid-November and early December. This attracts attention to the NBA, which might not be there until the Christmas day slate, which is good for the league's overall health.

Now, the competition has moved into the knockout stages. There are eight teams left in the bracket of the single-elimination tournament now.

Here's what each and every team left in the competition has left to play for. Well, you know, aside from the hefty payday waiting for the champion in the end.

Oklahoma City Thunder: To prove it

The Thunder have arguably been the best team in the league this season. Oklahoma City is 18-5 in a Western Conference that, once again, looks like it'll be a blood bath. This team hasn't been healthy all year with players bouncing in and out of the lineup. Yet, still, this is the West's top team.

This is clearly a team that has a fantastic chance of making it to the NBA Finals and winning it all. The Thunder have the NBA's best point differential by a bit.

But when you hear people talk about potential contenders in the league, the conversation usually begins and ends with the Celtics. The Thunder seemed to be considered a good Finals pick, but never a threat to win it all.

The NBA Cup gives this team a chance to do some convincing.

Golden State Warriors: To show they've still got it

The five-game losing skid the Warriors just stopped prevented them from falling even deeper into the pits of maybe the toughest Western Conference we've seen in years, but this team has still largely been inconsistent.

This team's offense has fallen off a cliff over these last 10 games. The Warriors' 106.8 offensive rating in that stretch is bottom-five in the NBA. Injuries have played a part in that. So have shooting slumps. That's more than enough to lose confidence in this team as a title contender.

Beating a few solid teams on their way to winning the NBA Cup would do the trick in turning that around.

Houston Rockets: To play in games that matter

This Rockets team is awesome. Houston locks in defensively as well as any other squad in the league. This team has a ton of length all over the floor — particularly with Amen Thompson, who plays a hybrid wing/guard role and just wreaks havoc all over the court.

Houston is hard to beat. But this team hasn't played in any games that matter — at least not yet. They made a push for the play-in last season before collapsing down the stretch. That's the closest the Rockets have been to the playoffs since the James Harden era.

Winning the NBA Cup would be good experience for the playoff run this team wants to make moving forward.

Dallas Mavericks: To keep the party going

There's a legitimate argument to be made that the Mavericks are the best team in the NBA right now.

I know, I know! Just hear me out, though. Dallas is 9-1 in its last 10 games and has won seven straight. The Mavs have the second-best offense in the league during that stretch and the best net rating overall.

Dallas has beaten a bunch of bad teams, sure. But some solid squads have been sprinkled in through these last 10 or so games. Dating back to November 17, the Mavs have beaten the Thunder, the Knicks, the Grizzlies and the Nuggets.

This is a championship-level team. Getting to the Cup Finals and winning it all would just further prove it.

New York Knicks: To shore up the defense

The Knicks' defense has been absent for most of the season so far. Despite having elite defenders along the wings in OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, this team has been below average at best.

The NBA Cup gives the Knicks a chance to get a feel for the tournament opponents they face and figure out what might work defensively. This isn't quite the playoffs, where defensive assignments and strategy might vary night to night and opponent to opponent, but it's pretty close.

Maybe while figuring out how to guard specific teams, the Knicks might come up on something that works for them.

Orlando Magic: To show they're serious

The Magic have been one of the unluckiest teams in the league this season. Orlando lost its two best players, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, to the same long-term injury a month apart. It's kind of spooky, honestly.

Yet, still, this team has persevered. It's one of the best in the league and a homecourt playoff team in conference. This is a really good team. It's time to prove it with a Cup win.

Milwaukee Bucks: To find themselves

Don't look now, but the Milwaukee Bucks are climbing the ladder in the East. At 12-11, the Bucks are the 6 seed in the East. But they've won eight of their last 10 games and have seemingly found a good rhythm.

There's been a lot of beating up on bad teams during that stretch. The NBA Cup should serve as a litmus test for the Bucks to see where this team is really at. If the Bucks are competitive? Great. This is a team they can continue to move forward with.

If not? It might be time to make some moves.

Atlanta Hawks: To get Trae Young a rhythm

The Hawks are one of the most confounding teams in the league. They can beat really good teams. They also lose really puzzling games to really bad teams.

A big source of that inconsistency is Trae Young's production — or the lack of it. Young is averaging 20.9 points per game, which is the lowest of his career since his rookie season. He's also shooting a career low 38 percent from the field and 31 percent from deep.

Getting him into a scoring rhythm should be a priority for the Hawks moving forward. The Cup is an awesome chance to do it.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: 1 big reason why each NBA Cup quarter-finalist needs to win the tournament