Tag Archives: Isaiah Joe

Phoenix Suns vs. Thunder preview (Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals)

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  • #8 Phoenix Suns (0-0) vs. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (0-0)
  • When: Sunday, 19 April 2026 at 2:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: ABC
  • Series Record: 0-0

The Tip-Off

We’re finally here. October 21st, 2025, aka Ring Night, truly feels like it was years ago. The Thunder hoisting up the Larry O’Brien trophy on June 22nd, 2025, might as well have been a decade ago. The regular season this year didn’t feel like a statement it was the last two previous season. Instead, it felt like a slog. Like you were walking in wet cement as it begins to solidify. When you accomplish the ultimate goal in team sports, have a shortened offseason, and bring back basically the same roster, the regular season can, at times, feel like it takes on less meaning. Add to that, the list of walking wounded the Thunder trotted in night in and night out and the unspoken human nature component of “why try ridiculously hard every evening, if the ultimate prize lays at the end of a rainbow where you have to arrive as healthy as possible,” and now you see why the regular season felt a bit more joyless this year. And yet, with all that, as true Oklahomans can attest, they weathered the storm. Their fortitude and commitment to the job allowed them to finish with the best record in the league for the second straight season. That means home-court advantage for every Game 1 and Game 7* (if necessary). And as we saw last season, having home-court in Game 7, was a lot more important than having it in Game 1.

The Season Series

  • Game 1 – November 28th, 2025 – The first meeting between OKC and Phoenix was notable, not only because it was one of their NBA Cup Group Play games, but also because it was the return of Jalen Williams back into OKC’s lineup after missing the first 19 games of the season recovering from offseason wrist surgery. Oklahoma City won 123-119, in a game that saw them lead by as many as 15 points early in the fourth quarter, only to squander that lead away and have it be a one-point game with 2 minutes left in the game. Some shot-making and play-making late in the fourth from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander helped close the door on the Suns. OKC was led by SGA (37 points and 8 assists) and Chet Holmgren (23 points and 8 rebounds).
  • Game 2 – December 10th, 2025 – Both of these teams met again in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals, and this time, the result was never in question. Phoenix was without Devin Booker and OKC’s defense took full advantage of Phoenix missing their main offensive engine, winning 138-89. The only other notable thing in this game was Grayson Allen getting ejected in the 3rd quarter due to a Flagrant-2 on Chet Holmgren.
  • Game 3 – January 4th, 2026 – This was during the time in the season where OKC looked like their confidence was waining a bit after the losses to San Antonio in December. OKC appeared to have control for most of the game, but Phoenix kept it close and finally overtook the Thunder in the end on a Booker game-winning three with 0.7 seconds left in the game, winning 108-105. Phoenix completely destroyed OKC on the boards in this game, grabbing 10 more offensive rebounds and 20 more rebounds total.
  • Game 4 – February 11th, 2026 – Probably the most definitive J-Dub game of the season, as OKC won 136-109. He led the way, scoring 28 points on 11/12 shooting from the field, before exiting the game in the third quarter with a reaggravation of his hamstring strain. Up to that point, it felt like his wrist issues were behind him and he could start to put some games together. But, alas, it wasn’t in the cards at that time. Six other players scored in double figures for the Thunder, in a game that lacked both SGA and Booker.
  • Game 5 – April 12th,2026 – The G-League Suns beat the G-League Thunder, 135-103. Branden Carlson led the way for OKC with 26 points and 10 boards and Payton Sandfort pumped in a career-high 23 points on 5/9 shooting from deep.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -14.5
  • O/U: 215.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)

PHX

  • Grayson Allen – Questionable (hamstring)
  • Mark Williams – Questionable (foot)

Three Big Things

  1. Jalen Green – One player the Thunder haven’t had to account for in their previous meetings this season was Jalen Green. The mercurial shooting guard was absent from all 5 of the regular season games due to various injuries. But he has shown up for Phoenix in the last two play-in games, scoring a total of 71 points on 10/21 shooting from deep. If Green is getting hot at the right time, it could be an added weapon Phoenix could throw at OKC. One of the ways that Phoenix can beat OKC is in shot-making variance and Green can add to that.
  2. Size – Despite having Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro on their roster, Phoenix has seemingly fallen in love with their small-ball lineup that features Ryan Dunn and Royce O’Neal as their bigs. It’ll be interesting to see the lineups that Suns coach Jordan Ott deploys. Regardless, OKC’s platoon of big men (Chet, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams) should fare very well on the interior against the Suns.
  3. Ajay Mitchell and Isaiah Joe – Probably the biggest X-factors for the Thunder outside of the performance of their Big-3. Joe has been on a consistent tear here over the past couple of months, shooting over 41% from deep since the new year. In addition, his defense and overall offensive game have allowed him to stay on the floor and be less of a liability as an overall rotational piece. And Mitchell has been a revelation this season as a play-maker, ball handler, and offensive engine with or without SGA or Dub in the lineup with him. If those two can continue into the playoffs what they’ve been doing in the regular season, it could spell big trouble for the rest of the teams left in the playoffs.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Thunder preview (Game 77 of 82)

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  • Los Angeles Lakers (50-26, 3rd in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (60-16, 1st in the West)
  • When: Thursday, 02 April 2026 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: Prime Video
  • Offensive Rating: LAL: 117.4 (7th) / OKC: 117.1 (8th)
  • Defensive Rating: LAL: 115.5 (20th) / OKC: 106.3 (1st)
  • Net Rating: LAL: 1.9 (14th) / OKC: 10.9 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: LAL: Winners of 4 in a row and 13 of their last 14 games / OKC: Winners of 3 in a row and 15 of their last 16
  • Magic Number (to clinch the No. 1 seed throughout the playoffs): 5

The Tip-Off

The cream is really rising to the top here in the Western Conference. The top four teams are all currently riding the following 10-game runs: OKC: 9-1, SA: 10-0, LAL: 9-1, and DEN: 8-2. In addition, OKC, LA, and DEN are all at the healthiest they’ve been all season. Hopefully this run of health continues, as the West playoffs are going to be historic if everyone plays at full strength.

This is the 3rd of 4 meetings this season between the Thunder and Lakers. OKC blew the Lakers out in their first meeting in Los Angeles, 121-92, in a game that saw Cason Wallace completely dominate defensively and saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander go for 30 points and 9 assists. Their second meeting was a more tightly contested game that OKC won 119-110. OKC was without SGA in that game (and LA was without Luka Doncic) and seven players scored in double digits, led by Jalen Williams with 23 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -9
  • O/U: 231.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – Questionable (illness)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)

LAL

  • Marcus Smart – OUT (ankle)

Three Big Things

  1. Defend, While Not Fouling – Interesting find when looking at stats: Los Angeles DOESN’T lead the league in free throw attempts. That honor belongs to (wait for it…) the Orlando Magic (????). The Lakers are that team that features three offensive engines in Luka, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves that each kind of play the same way where if a play is breaking down, they can drive to the basket and create contact to initiate a foul call or two….or twenty. I don’t necessarily subscribe to the idea that this overtly benefits them because the Thunder have a player or two that play the same way. With that said, it’s my hope that the officials tonight call the game evenly and don’t subscribe to any “agenda-based” narratives.
  2. Attack The Paint – The Lakers aren’t necessarily known for their stellar interior defense. They are 20th in the league in Opponent Points in the Paint, allowing 51.7 points per game and 22nd in blocks, at only 4.3 per game. SGA, Dub, and Ajay Mitchell should be hunting the favorable match-ups on the perimeter, especially with Marcus Smart being out, and getting automatic paint touches throughout the game. Isaiah Joe has had a big impact in the previous two Lakers games and that should be a recurring theme in this game, if those paint touches yield open threes.
  3. MVP Matchup – While Doncic has seemingly fallen out of the race for the MVP, there is still going to be a very loud minority that yells for him to be MVP. And in most seasons, they would have a case. But this year, with SGA’s consistent excellence throughout the year and Victor Wembanyama’s emergence, Luka’s defensive struggles early in the season have pushed him behind the pace car. But that doesn’t mean that tonight’s game won’t be a fun matchup. Luka vs. the Thunder’s perimeter defender is always a chess match. And SGA looking to solidify his hold on the MVP after Wemby had another amazing night last night. In recent years, the schedule for April has rarely yielded any games of consequence. But this year, every game has been important, not just for seeding purposes, but also for MVP debate purposes.

Thunder @ Chicago Bulls preview (Game 63 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (47-15, 1st in the West) @ Chicago Bulls (25-36, 12th in the East)
  • When: Tuesday, 03 March 2026 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: United Center in Chicago, IL
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: CHI: 112.6 (24th) / OKC: 117.2 (6th)
  • Defensive Rating: CHI: 117.0 (25th) / OKC: 106.1 (1st)
  • Net Rating: CHI: -4.4 (24th) / OKC: 11.1 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: CHI: Winner of 1, loser of 11 straight prior to that / OKC: Winners of 2 straight, 5-1 since the All-Star break

The Tip-Off

Funny how you get an MVP back in the line-up and all the struggles from the previous 3 weeks are forgotten. When healthy, the Thunder are still the team to beat in the NBA. While this season has been mired by the “potholes in the road” by injuries, they are still arguably the best team in the NBA, by a significant margin. Friday night showed that. Denver gave it their best shot with Nikola Jokic having a monster triple-double and Jamal Murray pitching in 39 points. And yet, even with a chance to win it in overtime with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sitting, the Nuggets looked like they were the team that was suffering from the altitude in OKC. SGA’s time off the floor may have unlocked different aspects of the team that could yield positive returns come playoff time. Isaiah Joe, Jared McCain, and Cason Wallace each were significant contributors to the Thunder beating the Nuggets in OT.

This is the first of two meetings this season between the Thunder and Bulls. OKC has now won 6 straight games against Chicago, dating back to the 2022-23 season, with an average margin of victory of 16.5 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -10.5
  • O/U: 229.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Branden Carlson – OUT (back)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (abdominal strain / injury management)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf strain / injury management)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain / ankle)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

CHI

  • Zach Collins – OFS (toe)
  • Noa Essengue – OFS (shoulder)
  • Jaden Ivey – OUT (knee)
  • Anfernee Simons – OUT (wrist)
  • Jalen Smith – OUT (calf)
  • Patrick Williams – OUT (quad)

Three Big Things

  1. Defending a Hodge-podge – The Bulls currently are just a cobbled up gaggle of undersized point guards, Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and non-center centers. The unusualness of their current line-ups is where they can trip opponents up. The Thunder are made to defend the line-ups of today’s basketball. But if there is no Jokic, Doncic, or Ant Edwards to hyperfocus on, this team’s defense can sometimes be left scrambling, especially against guard heavy line-ups (see Charlotte and Utah).
  2. Josh Giddey revenge game? – We just saw Ousmane Dieng have one of the best games of his career in his return to OKC right before the All-Star break. There were, of course, plenty of variables at play that could have contributed to such a performance, such as not having any play-makers available and the team having a “1-2-3 Cancun!” mentality after a roller-coaster first half of the season. But coming into tonight, there are similar variables at play: No play-makers available to them and the team possibly looking forward to the game on Wednesday in New York. There is trap game potential in this game and it could be spearheaded by Giddey.
  3. Cason Wallace – With SGA, Mitchell, and Dub being out for tonight, the team will likely look to Cason to be their de-facto play-maker. And he’s been great since the All-Star break, averaging 6.5 assists per game, while boasting a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio. In that same span, he’s also averaging 15.3 points on 45/50/90 shooting splits.

Denver Nuggets vs. Thunder preview (Game 61 of 82)

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  • Denver Nuggets (37-22, 4th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (45-15, 1st in the West)
  • When: Friday, 27 February 2026 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: ESPN / FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: DEN: 120.7 (1st) / OKC: 117.6 (6th)
  • Defensive Rating: DEN: 115.8 (20th) / OKC: 106.4 (1st)
  • Net Rating: DEN: 4.9 (7th) / OKC: 11.2 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: DEN: Alternating W’s and L’s for the last 8 games / OKC: Lost their last game, 5-2 in their last 7 games

The Tip-Off

Next man up. As the Thunder start to get healthier and healthier, the experience garnered from different players being thrust into roles that aren’t familiar to them could serve to be a positive as the Thunder navigate through the last 20 games of the season. The shot-making from Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain, the play-making and scoring from Cason Wallace, the offensive-hubbing from Jaylin Williams, the scoring from Kenrich Williams, etc. All those skills, while mostly not needed when the team is healthy, can serve as difference makers when defenses game-plan entirely against a team’s offense. We saw last season that the shooting can dry up quickly in the playoffs. If the players on the floor present more dynamic games, it allows the team to score in a variety of ways instead of relying entirely on their bread and butter (SGA and Dub).

This is the second of four meeting this season between these Northwest Division rivals. OKC won the first meeting, 121-111, in a game that saw the Thunder lead wire to wire and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander solidify his stamp on the MVP race with a 34 point, 13 assist performance.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -8.5
  • O/U: 232.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Branden Carlson – OUT (back)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

DEN

  • Tamar Bates – OUT (foot)
  • Aaron Gordon – OUT (hamstring)
  • Spencer Jones – Questionable (shoulder)
  • Jamal Murray – Questionable (illness)
  • Jalen Pickett – OUT (knee)
  • Julian Strawther – Questionable (toe)
  • Peyton Watson – OUT (hamstring)

Three Big Things

  1. The Thunder offense – While Denver may have the best offense in the league, it’s the Thunder’s offense that may show out in this game. Denver’s struggles on the defensive end have been well-documented this season. Nikola Jokic, while great on the offensive end of the floor, has never been mistaken for being a defensive stalwart on the other end. The Thunder’s ability to put Jokic into action with SGA gives the advantage to OKC. Denver will try to deploy a zone, but don’t currently have the horses (yes, pun intended) to run an effective one, with Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson being out. In addition, Denver doesn’t add too much defensive pressure on the ball, seeing as they are 29th in steals per game, 27th in blocks per game, and last in points off turnovers.
  2. Return of SGA – After carrying the Thunder on his back for most of the season, SGA (and the Thunder) were able to steal 3 weeks worth of rest for the reigning MVP. That could be huge for OKC as they head into their final playoff push. The Thunder went 5-4 in the 9 games Gilgeous-Alexander missed. Abdominal strains have a way of being tricky (see also hamstring strains), so here’s hoping he’s fully healed.
  3. Perimeter Defense – Outside of Jokic, the reason Denver’s offense is so great is their jump-shooting ability. The Nuggets rank 2nd in FG%, 1st in 3pt FG%, 6th in FT%, 1st in Effective FG%, and 1st in True Shooting %. With the gravity that Jokic, and Jamal Murray to a lesser degree, have, it opens up jump shooting opportunities for many of their role players. One of the more effective ways to defend against this is to limit the times you double-team Jokic. And the Thunder have the bodies to defend Joker one on one.

Thunder @ Detroit Pistons preview (Game 60 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (45-14, 1st in the West) @ Detroit Pistons (42-14, 1st in the East)
  • When: Wednesday, 25 February 2026 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI
  • TV: ESPN / FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: DET: 116.4 (10th) / OKC: 117.6 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating: DET: 108.3 (2nd) / OKC: 106.1 (1st)
  • Net Rating: DET: 8.1 (2nd) / OKC: 11.5 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: DET: Lost their last game, but had won 5 in a row previous to that / OKC: Winners of 3 in a row, 5-1 in their last 6 games

The Tip-Off

I’m still buzzing a bit off of the Thunder’s last two wins. To see Cason Wallace finally start to put together a complete game and to see Isaiah Joe completely bending defenses to his will because of his floor spacing has been incredible to watch since the All-Star break. Wallace has always been viewed as a defense first guy since entering the league and for good reason. You don’t lead the league in steals and total deflections without leaving your mark on that end of the floor. But to see what he has become with OKC missing most (and on some nights, all) of their ball-handlers, has been jaw-dropping. There were times last night where Wallace was calling for the ball at the top of the key in clutch time…and making all the right decisions. The Thunder pride themselves on still being a developmental team and it’s moments like this that show us that that approach is still working.

This is the first of two REGULAR SEASON meetings between these two conference front runners. OKC swept the season series last year.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: DET -9
  • O/U: 220.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – Doubtful (ankle)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Chet Holmgren – Doubtful (back spasms)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

DET

  • Isaiah Stewart – OUT (suspension)

Three Big Things

  1. Battle of physical defenses – Detroit plays a physical brand of basketball that would make Bill Laimbeer proud. They lead the league in steals (10.3) and blocks (6.3), while also leading the league in personal fouls (22.3). For everyone that complains about Oklahoma City’s defense being too physical, they apparently haven’t watched too many Pistons games this season. Oklahoma City usually does a good job of matching physicality with physicality, so it will be interesting if things will get chippy out there. I’m calling it: Kenrich Williams gets a tech tonight.
  2. Β Scheduled loss game – Second night of a road back to back. Prioritizing injury management. The Thunder will likely get fined for sitting some players out. And yet, I feel like the Pistons could fall into a trap game here. Maybe I’m just being a prisoner of the moment, but I really like the rhythm the Thunder are currently playing with. With that said, it’s going to be extremely difficult to get over Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein likely not playing in this game.
  3. Turnover-prone – The path to beating the Pistons tonight may be an uphill battle, but where the Thunder can make up ground is in the Pistons being turnover prone. They are 23rd in the league in turnovers per game at 15.3. And they only have one real ball-handler in Cade Cunningham. A high turnover game and a bad Cunningham night could help the Thunder in making things competitive.

Thunder @ Toronto Raptors preview (Game 59 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (44-14, 1st in the West) @ Toronto Raptors (34-23, 5th in the East)
  • When: Tuesday, 24 February 2026 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: TOR: 113.8 (16th) / OKC: 117.7 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating: TOR: 111.7 (6th) / OKC: 106.1 (1st)
  • Net Rating: TOR: 2.1 (11th) / OKC: 11.6 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: TOR & OKC: Both teams are winners of last 2 games and 4-1 in their last 5 games

The Tip-Off

The Chase to the Finish. Oklahoma City put themselves in good position when they started the season 24-1. They gave themselves a cushion that many teams never have the luxury of experiencing that early in the season. And they’ve needed every little bit of that cushion since then. Injuries, fatigue, and general post-championship malaise have plagued the Thunder over their last 33 games since that blistering start. Now the Thunder have to continuously be looking in the rearview mirror at the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs, like they are cop cars. Detroit finds themselves a game behind the Thunder in the overall league standings, while San Antonio, who already owns the tie-breaker over OKC, is 2.5 games back in the West standings. The ultimate goal of any regular season is to position yourself to have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs (see the 2024-25 OKC Thunder). But for a playoff-tested outfit like the Thunder, health may be a more important focus as the regular season churns towards it’s final month and a half. We’ll soon find out if that cushion was big enough for the Thunder.

This is the second and final meeting of the season between the Thunder and Raptors. Toronto won the first meeting 103-101 in a game where the Thunder faltered late and struggled on the boards.

Betting Info, provided by FanDuel

  • Line: TOR -1
  • O/U: 216.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – Questionable (ankle)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Chet Holmgren – Questionable (back spasms)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

TOR

  • Chucky Hepburn – OUT (knee/meniscus)
  • Jakob Poeltl – OUT (back)

Three Big Things

  1. Toronto’s poor 3-point shooting – Toronto is 26th in 3-point FGs made with 11.5 makes per game and 26th in 3-point FG percentage per game at 34.4%. This plays into OKC’s defensive ethos of primarily defending the paint and then running out to the open 3-point shooters.
  2. Getting back on defense – Toronto leads the league in fast break points per game at 19.3. Conversely, the Thunder are the best at defending fast break points, allowing only 11.8 fast break points per game. This stat probably comes down to perimeter misses and rebounding. Toronto’s length allows them to recover on to open shooters and disrupt shots. This leads to long rebounds and the ability for Toronto to get out on the break.
  3. Isaiah Joe – Over the last 6 games, Isaiah Joe is averaging 18.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2 steals on 48/56/92 shooting splits. He has a 13.7 net rating over that span to go along with a 73.6% True Shooting Percentage. Many times, he has been OKC’s most dangerous offensive option with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell, and Jalen Williams missing much, if not all, of the last 6 games. It is not an understatement that the Thunder go as Joe goes while their three main handlers are out with injuries.

Thunder @ Phoenix Suns preview (Game 55 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (41-13, 1st in the West) @ Phoenix Suns (32-22, 7th in the West)
  • When: Wednesday, 11 February 2026 at 8:00pm CST
  • Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: PHX: 114.5 (14th) / OKC: 117.7 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating: PHX: 112.2 (8th) / OKC: 106.0 (1st)
  • Net Rating: PHX: 2.3 (10th) / OKC: 11.7 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: PHX: 2-3 in their last 5, 5-5 in their last 10 / OKC: 3-2 in their last 5, 5-5 in their last 10

The Tip-Off

Jalen Williams returned for the Thunder in their last game against the Los Angeles Lakers and it was a welcome sight. For most of the season, the team has had at least one of their main ball-handlers on the floor. But the injuries to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell here recently, have thrust OKC into uncomfortable situations without any of their top-3 ball handlers. The results have been as expected: close games because of their defense, but an inability to close games out because of their offensive struggles. It was a little rough for Williams in the first three quarters of the game, as he tried to get his conditioning and rhythm back into form. He was 3/10 shooting in the first three quarters, but offset those struggles by getting to the free-throw line and hitting 7/9 free throws. But then the fourth quarter arrived, and Williams reminded us why he is commonly referred to as “4th Quarter Dub”. When Dub checked in with a little under 6 minutes to go, the Thunder were up by one and riding the seesaw of ties and lead changes. Williams used his ball-handling to get to his spots and destroy the Lakers from the mid-range. In that six-minute span, Williams went 3/6 from the field and 4/4 from the charity stripe to rack up 10 points and outlast the Lakers, 119-110. It’s amazing what having at least one ball-handler out there can do for your late-game offense.

This is the fourth of five meetings this season between the Thunder and Suns. These two teams met twice in the NBA Cup (once in group play and in the quarterfinals), with OKC winning both of those games. The Suns returned the favor early in January on a Devin Booker game-winning 3-pointer in Phoenix.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -7.5
  • O/U: 217.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (G-League assignment)

PHX

  • Grayson Allen – OUT (knee)
  • Cole Anthony – OUT (Not With Team)
  • Devin Booker – Questionable (ankle)
  • Jalen Green – Questionable (hamstring)
  • Isaiah Livers – OUT (shoulder)

Three Big Things

  1. Controlling the Boards – While Phoenix may not be one of the top rebounding teams in the league, currently ranking 29th in defensive rebounds per game and 21st in total rebounds per game, they do rank 5th in offensive rebounds per game at nearly 13 per game. This then fuels their 2nd Chance Point opportunities, in which they rank 7th in the league at 16.1 points per game. Conversely, for the Thunder, while they may rank 29th in offensive rebounds per game, Phoenix gives up a lot of offensive rebounds and ranks 25th in giving up the most 2nd chance points. If Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are able to shake loose and grab some offensive rebounds, it could add another dimension to their offense that isn’t usually one of their strengths.
  2. Looking in the Mirror – Phoenix plays a very similar defensive style to OKC. They like to pressure the ball, play physically, and get into the passing lanes. Both teams rank in the top-4 in steals per game and top-3 in points off turnovers. In addition, they are both in the top-6 in preventing fast break points. Where they differ is in protecting the paint. OKC ranks first in Opponent Points in the Paint and third in blocks per game. Conversely, while Phoenix is the 10th best team in protecting the paint, they are the 29th ranked team in blocks per game.
  3. Jared McCain’s Early Impact – I know this is an extremely small sample size, but Jared McCain’s impact has been almost immediate when you look at line-up data. For 2-man lineups that have played over 10 minutes together, McCain is involved in the top-4 in Net Rating. The best is McCain and Cason Wallace with a net rating of +52.1 in 14 minutes. Next is McCain and Chet Holmgren with a net rating of +50.4 in 21 minutes. The McCain and Isaiah Hartenstein duo comes in at 3rd with a net rating of +45.5 in 22 minutes. And lastly, and the one I’m most excited to see playing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and/or Ajay Mitchell when they return, is McCain and Isaiah Joe, with a net rating of +41.8 in 26 minutes. Again, small sample size theater, but it’s been very entertaining to watch.

 

Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs preview (Game 52 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (40-11, 1st in the West) @ San Antonio Spurs (33-16, 2nd in the West)
  • When: Wednesday, 04 February 2026 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX
  • TV: ESPN / FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: SAS: 116.2 (11th) / OKC: 118.2 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating: SAS: 111.2 (3rd) / OKC: 105.6 (1st)
  • Net Rating: SAS: 5.0 (6th) / OKC: 12.6 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: SAS: 3-3 in their last 6 games (alternating W’s and L’s) / OKC: 3-3 in their last 6 games, but have won 2 in a row

The Tip-Off

You know, I used to get pissed off when teams used to sit their stars (or even starters) for nationally televised games. Like, why the hell would I tune in to watch your 12th guy off the bench get starter minutes. But now, I kind of get it. Teams that have deep playoff runs don’t have the same restful offseason as those that don’t make the playoffs or exit early. The Thunder played two more months of basketball than most teams in the Association. And they came into this season with the idea that they would play their same brand of basketball. It worked for the first two months of the season. But their brand of basketball and their insistence to win began to take it’s toll on them. And so, the Thunder are now in a position to try and find respites of rest in the schedule whenever possible, while having it be as legit as possible. Those injuries start to pile on and the best recipe is to find rest. And so now, I get it.

This is the fifth and final meeting of the regular season between these two teams. San Antonio won the first three meetings of the season in December that sent Thunder fandom into a deep, dark depression. The Thunder returned the favor in January, winning 119-98.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC +8.5
  • O/U: 217.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (adductor)
  • Ousmane Dieng – OUT (Not With Team)
  • Lu Dort – OUT (knee)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (eye)
  • Chet Holmgren – OUT (back)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal strain)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

SAS

  • Stephon Castle – Questionable (thigh)
  • Dylan Harper – Questionable (ankle)
  • Kelly Olynyk – Questionable (foot)
  • Jeremy Sochan – OUT (quad)
  • Lindy Waters III – OUT (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Injury Bug – While OKC has been dealing with injuries the entire season, the injury bug finally hit Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who will miss the next five games before the All-Star break and will also miss the All-Star game with an abdominal strain. The defending MVP has carried a heavy load this season, leading the Thunder to the best record in the league, while having to navigate consistent roster changes and injuries on a night to night basis. While it stinks to not have SGA out there, it is a good opportunity to get 2+ weeks of rest while only missing 5 games.
  2. Good Opportunity – Here I thought the Orlando game was going to be the sacrificial game. Turns out, it’s the Spurs game. I get it. Guys need rest, SGA is injured, and you’ve already played the Spurs four times this season. There’s not much to glean from another battle against a potential 2nd or 3rd round playoff opponent. But it is a good opportunity for guys like Jaylin Williams, Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins to expand their games and try new things. Remember when J-Will got all his triple-doubles last season late in the season when most of the starters were resting. Remember when it was almost guaranteed that Wiggins would get 25+ points when the starters sat late last season. Maybe this can be the Chris Youngblood “5 3-pointers made” game. Maybe Brooks Barnhizer will actually take an outside shot. Lots of opportunity for development.
  3. Welcome, Jared McCain – The Thunder didn’t wait until Thursday to strike on a trade. They made a couple moves that netted them Jared McCain from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a 2026 Houston first round pick and three future second round picks. In a lateral move, Ousmane Dieng and a 2029 2nd round pick were moved to Charlotte in exchange for Mason Plumlee, who was subsequently waived to create a roster spot for McCain. Dieng was then moved from Charlotte to Chicago in a separate trade. The idea of Dieng was always more hopeful than the actual production. Every time it seemed like Dieng was starting to carve out a role, an injury usually happened. By the time Dieng looked up, the team was on it’s way to contention and the developmental train had transformed into a hard-charging championship-contending train. But, hey, he got a championship ring out of it and was a Finals MVP for a G-League championship.

Thunder @ Memphis Grizzlies preview (Game 39 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (31-7, 1st in the West) @ Memphis Grizzlies (16-21, 10th in the West)
  • When: Friday, 09 January 2026 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN
  • TV: NBATV & FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: MEM: 112.4 (24th) / OKC: 118.0 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: MEM: 114.0 (14th) / OKC: 105.0 (1st)
  • Net Rating: MEM: -1.6 (18th) / OKC: 13.0 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: MEM: 1-5 in their last 6 / OKC: 5-2 in their last 7

The Set-Up

A win is a win, right? While the way it played out may not have been what we wanted, the Thunder eventually outlasted the Jazz in overtime and won a close game. It was almost like you didn’t know how to feel about the win. Like, yeah, you won. But it was almost foreign. Jalen Williams said it best, after the Jazz game: “This is going to sound cocky, but the last 3 years we won so much that when we have a normal human stretch of losing a game or 2 that we shouldn’t have, the world freaks out.” That’s probably one of the best ways to frame it. The bar has been set so high by the Thunder that when they lose to inferior opponents or when they win a close game to a “tanking team”, the entire fanbase loses their collective shit. In addition, the team is dealing with variables that they haven’t dealt with in the past. A shortened offseason, constant injuries to key rotation pieces, a crappy schedule (again), and dealing with being every team’s SuperBowl every night. That takes a toll and I think we are seeing it now. But like any great team, it’s on OKC to weather the storm and come out prepared for those games of consequence in April, May, and hopefully, June.

This is the third and final meeting of the season between the Thunder and Grizzlies. OKC has won the first two meetings this season by an average of 15 points. Dating back to December 2022, the Thunder have won 15 straight meetings against the Grizzlies, to include the playoffs.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -5.5
  • O/U: 230.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – Questionable (back)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (ankle)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Chet Holmgren – OUT (shin)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Cason Wallace – OUT (toe)
  • Jaylin Williams – OUT (heel)

MEM

  • Brandon Clarke – OUT (calf)
  • Cedric Coward – Questionable (ankle)
  • Zach Edey – OUT (ankle)
  • Ty Jerome – OUT (calf)
  • John Konchar – Doubtful (thumb)
  • Ja Morant – OUT (calf)
  • Scotty Pippen Jr – OUT (toe)
  • Vince Williams Jr – Questionable (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Rebounding – With Isaiah Hartenstein missing the last few weeks, rebounding has been a big issue with the Thunder. Chet Holmgren tries to do what he can, as he has been averaging 8.8 rebounds since Dec. 18th, but the lack of size and physicality on the front line has put the Thunder in precarious positions in close games. The Grizzlies come into this game as one of the best rebounding teams in the league, ranking No. 3 in total rebounds (46.3 per game) and No. 7 in Rebound Percentage. The Grizzlies may be without Zach Edey in this game, but Jaren Jackson Jr, Santi Aldama, and Jock Landale all average above or close to 6 rebounds a game, with Landale racking up nearly 3 rebounds on the offensive end.
  2. Powering through injuries – With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren both being out for the Thunder, the onus of scoring will likely fall on Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. But whether we win or lose may rest upon the so-called “others”. Part of the reason why we were able to sustain and win during this stretch last season was because Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe got hot for about a 1-2 month stretch (from January to March). A performance like that will likely be necessary for the Thunder to win a game like this one.
  3. Cam Spencer – Yes, Cam frickin’ Spencer. I can’t believe one of my points of emphasis is Cam Spencer. For some reason, we always get cooked by shorter, seemingly unathletic, point guards. Guys like, oh, I don’t know, Pat Spencer, TJ McConnell, Jose Alvarado, etc. But there always comes a point in the game, especially if it’s close, where the Thunder clamped down, don’t bite on the cute little fakes, and eventually make players like that a liability for the opponent. But if you are missing the bulk of your good defensive players and your interior defensive anchor is out, then this may be a game where a guy like Spencer could show out.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 26 of 82, NBA Cup Semifinals)

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  • San Antonio Spurs (17-7, 5th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (24-1, 1st in the West)
  • When: Saturday, 13 December 2025 at 8:00pm CST
  • Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
  • TV: Prime Video
  • Offensive Rating: SAS: 118.6 (6th) / OKC: 120.5 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: SAS: 114.4 (16th) / OKC: 103.3 (1st)
  • Net Rating: SAS: 4.2 (8th) / OKC: 17.2 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: SAS: Winners of 9 of their last 12 / OKC: Winners of 16 in a row

The Set-Up

The one thing missing from the Thunder’s trophy case last season was an NBA Cup title. It was the first test for the team that eventually became the champs and they were thoroughly out-physical’ed and outplayed. And it was probably the best thing for this team moving forward. It gave them a blueprint for what to expect heading into that postseason and what to expect moving forward as a championship contender. But this year, they know what to expect. They are the more physical team, usually. They know how to win in my ways: ugly, muddy, free-throw contest, physical, track meet, etc. The Thunder know how to win in any manner and that’s likely due to losing in the NBA Cup Final last season.

This is the first of five meetings this season between what many see as future championship-contending rivals. The rebuild hibernation seems to be over for the Spurs and they are now letting their young players spread their wings and see how far they can go. The Thunder went 2-1 last season against the Spurs, with their only loss being, ironically, in group play forΒ  the NBA Cup. Of course, there were other factors in that one loss, namely being that OKC had no healthy big men in that game.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -11
  • O/U: 231.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Isaiah Joe – OUT (knee)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)

SAS

  • Victor Wembanyama – Probable (calf)

Five Big Things

  1. Different Looking Teams – Each team is coming into this game looking a bit different than what they’ve looked like lately. The Thunder are finally starting to get as healthy as they have been all season, with Isaiah Joe being the only rotational piece that will be out for this Cup semifinal. For the first time all season, the usual starting line-up of SGA, Dort, Dub, Chet, and Hartenstein has a chance to see the court together. On the other side, Victor Wembanyama is due to return from a calf strain that has kept him out since Nov. 14th. Despite all the injury setbacks, both teams have flexed their roster depth and find themselves as two of the top teams in the West, if not the NBA.
  2. Chet vs. Wemby – God, I love a good head-to-head match-up. The NBA has been trying to build this rivalry up since Wembanyama first entered the league in 2023. Injuries and the two teams being on different timelines have kept the rivalry from flourishing. But now…now seems like the right time for this thing to bubble over. Chet and Wemby seem to have a mutual respect, but also, a mutual animosity for each other. It feels very much like a 90’s match-up where social media and cell phones didn’t really give players access to other players unless they crossed paths in the All-Star game, shared an agent, or shared a brand. And the great thing about today’s match-up is that there are stakes involved. Win or go home. And also, I’ll see you two more times in the next two weeks.
  3. Rock Fight – While OKC may be a historic defense, the Spurs haven’t been too far behind in many statistical defensive categories. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson has done a great job of developing a culture similar to the Thunder’s, where the defense is their foundation and players like Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle are the offensive engines that score the points. Even with Wemby out, the Spurs have maintained their defensive principles and been great on that side of the ball. This could end up being a low-scoring affair.
  4. Creating Turnovers – The Spurs have three players that average over three turnovers per game. Stephon Castle (3.9), Wembanyama (3.6), and Fox (3.4) have the highest usage for the Spurs, but also the highest turnover rates. Dylan Harper averages 1.6 turnovers per game and will be facing probably the toughest he’s ever faced professionally. If the Thunder can generate their customary turnovers, it should fuel their transition offense and get them jump-started. In previous games against Wemby, the Thunder often swarm him and send doubles from different directions to keep him confused and create turnovers.
  5. Looking in the Mirror – The Spurs are coming into this game ready to prove themselves. Ready to show that they belong in the conversation for playoff contenders/championship contenders. They are in a position very similar to where the Thunder were last season. The Spurs will be hungry. Will the Thunder be hungrier? It’s the hunter vs. hunted mentality. The Thunder have played this season like they still have something to prove.