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Phoenix Suns vs. Thunder preview (Game 82 of 82)

Posted on April 12, 2026 by Alex Roig

Phoenix Suns (44-37, 7th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-17, 1st in the West)
When: Sunday, 12 April 2026 at 7:30pm CST
Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
TV: FDSN-OK
Offensive Rating: PHX: 113.9 (18th) / OKC: 117.7 (7th)
Defensive Rating: PHX: 113.0 (10th) / OKC: 106.1 (1st)
Net Rating: PHX: 1.0 (16th) / OKC: 11.6 (1st)
Current Streaks: PHX: 5-5 in their last 10 games / OKC: Lost their last game, but won their previous 7 before that

The Tip-Off

The end. Though every year feels long when you first start it, by the time you reach the end, you relate to the age-old adage that relates to parents and their children: the days are long, but the years are short. As we head into another postseason where we are the favorites, let’s appreciate the day by day steps that we’ve had to take to get to this point. It may not always be pretty, but as our MVP continues to preach, it’s always consistent.

This is the fifth and final regular season meeting between the Thunder and Suns. Oklahoma City has won 3 of the 4 meetings, with the lone Suns’ victory coming on a Devin Booker game-winning 3.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

Line: OKC -7.5
O/U: 212.5

Injury Report

OKC

Alex Caruso – OUT (rest)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (oblique injury management)
Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf injury management)
Chet Holmgren – OUT (back)
Isaiah Joe – OUT (knee)
Ajay Mitchell – OUT (ankle injury management)
Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
Cason Wallace – OUT (toe)
Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring injury management)
Jaylin Williams – OUT (Achilles tendinitis)

PHX

Grayson Allen – OUT (hamstring)
Devin Booker – OUT (ankle injury management)
Dillon Brooks – OUT (finger injury management)
Collin Gillespie – Questionable (shoulder)
Jordan Goodwin – Questionable (ankle)
Jalen Green – Questionable (knee)
Haywood Highsmith – Questionable (knee injury management)
Royce O’Neale – OUT (knee injury management)
Mark Williams – Questionable (foot injury management)

Three Big Things

Two-Way Players – Due to the fact that 2-way players can’t be on the playoff roster, this is the our final opportunity to see our 2-way players this season. Brooks Barnhizer, Branden Carlson, and Payton Sandfort have all contributed in some form and some way to this season. With the amount of injuries the Thunder have had, having three extra players (along with Chris Youngblood and Buddy Boeheim) has been of utmost importance for the sustainability of this team. Here’s the them going off in the final game of the season.
Again, Health Above All – For the players that are going to be on the playoff roster, please stay healthy in this game. Lu Dort is out here chasing All-Defense Team glory and guys like Kenrich Williams, Aaron Wiggins, Jared McCain, and even Nikola Topic could play critical roles at various points in the playoffs.
Reflection – Though the record may not show it, this year’s team is much better than last’s year team. They’ve had to battle through a myriad of injuries all season long (to the tune of 2nd most man-games missed) and have had to face new foes (hello, San Antonio) throughout the season. They’ve had to switch from being the hunters to the hunted and have done a good job handling that. But now begins what the Thunder have been battling for the entire season…hello, playoffs! Time to defend our crown.

Thunder @ Denver Nuggets preview (Game 81 of 82)

Posted on April 10, 2026 by Alex Roig

Oklahoma City Thunder (64-16, 1st in the West) vs. Denver Nuggets (52-28, 3rd in the West)
When: Friday, 10 April 2026 at 8:00pm CST
Where: Ball Arena in Denver, CO
TV: FDSN-OK
Offensive Rating: DEN: 121.1 (1st) / OKC: 117.9 (7th)
Defensive Rating: DEN: 116.2 (21st) / OKC: 105.9 (1st)
Net Rating: DEN: 4.9 (8th) / OKC: 12.0 (1st)
Current Streaks: DEN: Winners of 10 straight / OKC: Winners of 7 straight

The Tip-Off

Dictating terms. It’s such a great position to be in for the final two games of the season. With home-court advantage throughout the playoffs wrapped up after Game 80, the Thunder are now in position to do whatever they want for these last two games of the season. And so, they will. Entering tonight’s game against Denver, the Thunder have chosen to sit most of their rotational pieces in order to, not only protect their health, but also to put Denver in position to stay in the 3rd seed of the Western Conference and keep them on San Antonio’s side of the bracket. It is a right afforded to those who compete the entire season and have the depth to weather fatigue and injuries.

This is the four and final meeting of the regular season between these Northwest Division rivals. The Thunder have won the first three meetings, but the last two games have been games that have gone down to the wire.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

Line: OKC +11.5
O/U: 231.5

Injury Report

OKC

Alex Caruso – OUT (rest)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (oblique injury management)
Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf injury management)
Chet Holmgren – OUT (back)
Isaiah Joe – OUT (knee)
Ajay Mitchell – OUT (ankle injury management)
Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
Cason Wallace – OUT (toe)
Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring injury management)
Jaylin Williams – OUT (Achilles tendinitis)

DEN

Aaron Gordon – Questionable (hamstring injury management)
Christian Braun – Questionable (ankle)
Cam Johnson – Questionable (rest)
Nikola Jokic – Questionable (wrist injury management)
Spencer Jones – OUT (hamstring)
Jamal Murray – Questionable (shoulder)
Peyton Watson – OUT (hamstring)

Three Big Things

Health Above All – While the majority of the Thunder’s rotation is resting, it is important that everyone on the team make it out of the regular season as unscathed as possible. Lu Dort is playing in this game in order to meet the 65-game rule for the possibility of making one of the All-Defense Teams. Jared McCain and Aaron Wiggins have played important rotational minutes this season and could be called upon when the postseason starts. The Thunder have finally gotten as healthy as they’ve been all season and the hope is that the injury report remains clean heading into the postseason.
Speed Them Up – About the only way the Thunder can win this game is in muddying it up and getting out in transition. Denver is 19th in the league in defending Fast Break Points, allowing 15.5 per game. In addition, they are 20th in the league in Pace. If the Thunder can turn them over and make this game a track meet, that could be one way to make this game interesting.
Nikola….Topic – I’m really excited to see the Thunder break off the shackles on Topic and allow him to play free in these last two games. Give him 40 minutes per game and get him prepared to compete for rotational minutes next season. Topic played in 13 G-League games this season and after a few games to get his body acclimated, Topic averaged 30.6 minutes per game in the last 7 games of the G-League season.

Chicago Bulls vs. Thunder preview (Game 74 of 82)

Posted on March 27, 2026 by Alex Roig

Chicago Bulls (29-43, 12th in the East) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (57-16, 1st in the West)
When: Friday, 27 March 2026 at 7:00pm CST
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
TV: NBATV / FDSN-OK
Offensive Rating: CHI: 112.6 (24th) / OKC: 117.1 (8th)
Defensive Rating: CHI: 117.1 (23rd) / OKC: 106.2 (1st)
Net Rating: CHI: -4.5 (23rd) / OKC: 10.8 (1st)
Current Streaks: CHI: 3-5 in their last 8 games / OKC: Lost their last game, winners of 12 of their last 13
OKC Magic Number Count – 8, to clinch the #1 seed throughout the playoffs

The Tip-Off

Here lately, it has felt like the Thunder are playing every game on Friday the 13th and the San Antonio Spurs are Jason Voorhees. And no matter how fast the Thunder run, the Spurs are right there continually nipping at their heels. (Cha-cha-cha) Win 12 in a row…the Spurs go 11-1 in that same stretch. Look at the strength of schedule for their remaining games, and the 2 game lead the Thunder hold over the Spurs constantly feels like its only a step away. But is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. The Thunder weren’t really tested last season until the 2nd round of the playoffs, which may have played a part in their inexperience during certain situations in the playoffs. Having to be battle-tested in the regular season could show it’s worth in the playoffs this season. While the Thunder did eventually win the title, there are some players on the roster this season that didn’t necessarily play a big part in the rotation last year (namely Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain). In addition, it also puts the onus on the Spurs to have to continue playing all the way through the end of the season, which limits their ability to rest their players.

This is the second and final meeting of the season between the Thunder and Bulls. OKC won the first meeting, 116-108, in a game that saw five Thunder players score at least 17 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was out for that game and the leading scorer for OKC was Jared McCain off the bench with 20 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

Line: OKC -18.5
O/U: 238.5

Injury Report

OKC

Brooks Barnhizer – OUT (personal)
Chet Holmgren – OUT (hip contusion)
Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)

CHI

Zach Collins – OFS (toe)
Rob Dillingham – Probable (knee)
Noa Essengue – OFS (shoulder)
Jaden Ivey – OFS (knee)
Yuki Kawamura – Day to Day (quad)
Isaac Okoro – Probable (knee)
Nick Richards – Questionable (elbow)
Anfernee Simons – OUT (wrist)
Jalen Smith – OFS (calf)
Guerschon Yabusele – Questionable (ankle)

Three Big Things

Take Care of Business – The Thunder are at home after a long road trip and playing a team that has no business competing with them. In addition, they are the healthiest they’ve been all year. With the Spurs nipping at their heels, there should be no reason why the Thunder don’t do the necessary things to put this team away quickly and early in the game.
Perimeter Defense – The Chicago Bulls score 37.7% of their points from the 3-point line. That’s 6th best in the league. They were just scorched by the #3 team in that statistical category in their last game against Boston. While the Thunder’s defensive philosophy has worked for the most part of the past couple of seasons, there are still nights where their inside-out principle works against them. It would behoove the Thunder to not let ball-handlers into the lane and to run out to the 3-point shooters for Chicago.
Downhill Scoring – The Bulls rank 4th worst in the league in paint defense, allowing 53.4 points per game. With Zach Collins and Jalen Smith out for the season and Nick Richards questionable, it would behoove the Thunder to constantly attack the paint and run their offense through their paint touches tonight.

Thunder @ Philadelphia 76ers preview (Game 72 of 82)

Posted on March 23, 2026 by Alex Roig

Oklahoma City Thunder (56-15, 1st in the West) @ Philadelphia 76ers (39-32, 7th in the East)
When: Monday, 23 March 2026 at 6:00pm CST
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, PA
TV: FDSN-OK
Offensive Rating: PHI: 114.1 (15th) / OKC: 117.1 (7th)
Defensive Rating: PHI: 114.6 (16th) / OKC: 106.1 (1st)
Net Rating: PHI: -0.5 (19th) / OKC: 11.0 (1st)
Current Streaks: PHI: Winners of 4 of their last 5 / OKC: Winners of 11 straight

The Tip-Off

I don’t have a big issue with the ejections or the suspensions, if the play or player warrants it. I just want consistency throughout the punishment process. My objection to Ajay Mitchell’s suspension is “was he just supposed to take the slap to the face?” Since when did the NBA turn into a religious organization that mandates turning the other cheek when struck or being pacifists when the other team is escalating the situation? How can a player (Anthony Gill) be fined after the game, but suffer no consequences in-game? Would the NBA’s behavior czar, James Jones, be so keen on doing nothing if he got slapped in the face? Like, make it make sense, because if it doesn’t make sense, then teams will try to approach the Thunder like this in the playoffs in hopes of getting the right person suspended for a game or more.

This is the second and final meeting of the season between the Thunder and Sixers. OKC won the first meeting by 25 in a game that saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren combine for 56 points on 22/30 shooting from the field. The Thunder were only up by 2 at halftime and completely dominated Philly in the 2nd half.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

Line: OKC -16
O/U: 224.5

Injury Report

OKC

Ajay Mitchell – OUT (suspension)
Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)

PHI

Dominick Barlowe – Questionable (ankle)
Johni Broome – OUT (knee)
Joel Embiid – OUT (oblique)
Paul George – OUT (suspension)
Quentin Grimes – Questionable (illness)
Tyrese Maxey – OUT (finger)
Kelly Oubre Jr – OUT (elbow)

Three Big Things

Welcome Back, Dub – Jalen Williams returns to the lineup after reaggravating his hamstring on February 11th. I know the Thunder would never put any of their players in danger of reinjury, but it’s still scary as OKC navigates the rest of the season in hoping that Dub is truly over his hamstring issues. We’ve seen how hamstring injuries have affected Aaron Gordon and the Denver Nuggets through their series with OKC last postseason and throughout this season. OKC has proven throughout the regular season that they can navigate the choppy waters without Dub. But the postseason is an entirely different monster and having a healthy Dub available is probably the biggest X-factor for OKC.
Jared McCain – It was only 1.5 seasons, but McCain’s impact on Philly was felt when he got traded at the deadline in February. Tyrese Maxey was feeling some sort of way when the trade happened, and Sixers GM Darryl Morey had to explain that he was “selling high” when he shipped McCain off for a 2026 Houston Rockets first and three future second round picks. After struggling with injuries for much of the past season, McCain has assimilated almost seamlessly onto the Thunder and has become a key rotational piece off the bench. His floor spacing and play-making has filled a need the Thunder were vastly seeking in this injury-plagued season. In 19 games since the trade, McCain is averaging 12.3 points on 41% shooting from deep for OKC. Supposedly, there will be a video tribute for McCain tonight, which is high praise, considering he only played 60 games for the franchise and also considering that this is Philadelphia we’re talking about. Philly sports have gone soft.
Big Man superiority – With Joel Embiid being out, the Sixers will need to rely on Adem Bona and Andre Drummond. I fully expect the Thunder’s big man trio of Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams to dominate in all aspects of post play.

Thunder @ Chicago Bulls preview (Game 63 of 82)

Posted on March 3, 2026 by Alex Roig

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

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).
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.
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)

Posted on February 27, 2026 by Alex Roig

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

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.
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.
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 @ Phoenix Suns preview (Game 55 of 82)

Posted on February 11, 2026 by Alex Roig

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

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.
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.
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)

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Alex Roig

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

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.
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.
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.