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Phoenix Suns vs. Thunder preview (Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals)

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  • #8 Phoenix Suns (0-1) vs. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0)
  • When: Wednesday, 22 April 2026 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: ESPN
  • Series Record: OKC leads 1-0

The Tip-Off

With 8:05 left in the first quarter, Phoenix held a 12-9 lead and had a little momentum in the early going of the game. The jump shots were falling on their end and the Thunder were missing on the other end. If the Suns were going to steal a game, this is the recipe that would need to be used.

Then Jalen Williams happened.

An open three off a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander kickout. Then an immediate steal and transition dunk off a Jalen Green turnover and the Thunder held their first lead of the game. A lead, they would never relinquish. A couple possessions later, Dillon Brooks tried to physically back Dub down, but was met with equal physicality and lost the ball, which popped up right into the waiting arms of Chet Holmgren. And, as Brooks is prone to do, he swiped in the direction of the ball, but caught Holmgren’s face. The ref reviewed it, hit Brooks with a Flagrant-1, and Holmgren hit four free throws (two from the flagrant and then two on a subsequent foul on the offensive possession). By the end of the first quarter, OKC held a 15-point lead.

If you are going to come back on OKC, though, the time to do it is when SGA is sitting on the bench. And that usually occurs in the first six minutes of the 2nd quarter and first six minutes of the fourth quarter (if the game is close enough (wink!)). So there was a little ray of hope for Phoenix (see what I did there?) heading into the 2nd quarter.

Then Jaylin Williams happened.

The Thunder led 37-23 when Jaylin Williams checked into the game for Isaiah Hartenstein. For the next 4.5 minutes, J-Will put on a defensive clinic, the likes we’ve never seen from Williams. In that time span, J-Will had 4 rebounds, 2 steals, an assist, and 2 points. That 14-point lead ballooned up to 23 by the time Williams sat back down with 6:01 left in the quarter. It was pretty much game after that…all on the back of two guys with the initials J. Williams.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -17.5
  • O/U: 215.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Thomas Sorber – OUT (knee/ACL)

PHX

  • Grayson Allen – Questionable (hamstring)
  • Jordan Goodwin – Questionable (calf)
  • Mark Williams – Questionable (foot)

Three Big Things

  1. 0-0 Mentality – I know this is the Thunder’s mantra. And they seem to be living by it 100% of the time. But we also know that human nature is real. And the possibility of letting up after demolishing a team while your best player has a subpar game is there. We kind of saw that in the Memphis series last postseason. OKC won the first game by 51 points and then won the second game by 19. But in Game 3, Memphis came out like an injured animal with their back against the wall and had the Thunder down by 29 points before Ja Morant left the game with an injured hip. It took a historic comeback in the second half for OKC to escape with a narrow victory in that game. By Game 4, Memphis kind of started to figure out the Thunder’s Rubik’s cube, even without Morant, and gave the Thunder a helluva game, losing by only two in the series clincher for OKC. There are many lessons that can be gleaned from last year’s postseason run, and these may be two of the most important ones: Sometimes your toughest opponent is complacency and you can’t take your margin of victory from the last game Linto the next game.
  2. SGA – OKC won by 35 despite SGA having shooting splits of 28/0/88. We used to make fun of Kyle Singler for having a shooting split total under 100, and SGA nearly did that in this game. With all that said, Phoenix was being physical with him and was sending doubles at various points in the game. But the evolution of SGA’s game is that he also had 7 assists and 0 turnovers. If “the others” are making enough shots and the defense is up to the Thunder standard, there may not be a necessity for a hyper-efficient SGA game.
  3. Take Care of Business – While the series on the other side of the bracket are both tied at 1 game apiece, the Lakers are taking care of business against the Rockets on OKC’s side of the bracket. The hope was that the 4/5 matchup would be a 6 or 7 game series, but the reality is this Kevin Durant-led team appears to be heading down the path most Durant-led teams have gone, and that’s implosion. A Lakers sweep would give them time to rest, heal up, and be ready for the second round. Not that it worries me that much, but making sure that OKC gets the same amount of time to rest up would be beneficial.

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.

Detroit Pistons vs. Thunder preview (Game 76 of 82)

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  • Detroit Pistons (54-20, 1st in the East) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (59-16, 1st in the West)
  • When: Monday, 30 March 2026 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: Peacock/NBCSN
  • Offensive Rating: DET: 117.0 (9th) / OKC: 117.3 (7th)
  • Defensive Rating: DET: 108.7 (2nd) / OKC: 106.3 (1st)
  • Net Rating: DET: 8.3 (3rd) / OKC: 11.0 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: DET: Winners of 2 in a row and 9 of their last 11 games / OKC: Winners of 2 in a row and 14 of their last 15 games
  • Magic Number (to clinch the No. 1 seed throughout the playoffs): 6

The Tip-Off

The end of season grind for playoff teams can be a balancing act of roster shuffling and getting real game-time reps in preparation for the postseason. Oklahoma City finds itself firmly entrenched in one of the top two positions in the West. But it also has to find games where it can play it’s normal starting unit, which has only seen about 8 games of action all season long. Finding time to catch a rhythm with the likes of Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell, and Isaiah Hartenstein, while also looking out for their health is the teeter totter of all teeter totters. If the Thunder can get all their players to the postseason healthy and in rhythm, great. If they can’t, then the real struggle begins.

This is the second and final meeting of the regular season between the Thunder and Pistons. Detroit won the first meeting 124-116 in a game that saw the Thunder without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, Ajay Mitchell, and Isaiah Hartenstein. In that game, four Thunder players scored at least 20 points, with Jaylin Williams leading the way with a career high 30 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -12.5
  • O/U: 218.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf injury management)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring injury management)

DET

  • Cade Cunningham – OUT (chest/lung)
  • Jalen Duren – OUT (knee)
  • Tobias Harris – OUT (hip)
  • Duncan Robinson – OUT (hip)
  • Isaiah Stewart – OUT (calf)

Three Big Things

  1. Trap-Game Potential – Detroit is down five of their top 8 rotation players. That doesn’t mean that the Pistons won’t fight. Just like the Thunder gave the Pistons a run for their money in Detroit while missing many of their top rotational players, the Pistons can do the same if the Thunder aren’t on their A-game.
  2. SGA slump? – Over the past 2 games, SGA has shot 16/42 from the floor (38%), 1/13 from deep (8%), and has missed three free throws in each of those games. For a player who is famed for his efficiency, this is a slump of biblical proportions. For context though, the previous five games before this two-game run, SGA had shooting splits of 66% from the field and 53% from deep, while averaging 31 points per game. So it could be nothing. Or, it could be everything. I’m hoping it’s just a blip on the radar and not something like a lingering injury. Ausar Thompson, one of the best defenders in the league, will be hounding SGA all night tonight.
  3. Daniss Jenkins – Over the past 5 games, Jenkins has been averaging 20.6 points and nearly 8 assists per game. He has been the catalyst that has helped Detroit remain afloat since the injury to Cade Cunningham. He’ll be missing a huge chunk of his supporting cast tonight, but he has shown the ability to take over games and leave his imprint on the floor.

 

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

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  • 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

  1. 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.
  2. Β 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.
  3. 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.

Denver Nuggets vs. Thunder preview (Game 66 of 82)

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  • Denver Nuggets (39-25, 6th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (50-15, 1st in the West)
  • When: Monday, 09 March 2026 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: Peacock/NBCSN/FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: DEN: 120.0 (1st) / OKC: 116.8 (8th)
  • Defensive Rating: DEN: 116.3 (22nd) / OKC: 105.9 (1st)
  • Net Rating: DEN: 3.8 (9th) / OKC: 10.9 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: DEN: Inconsistent at best; 6-9 in their last 15 / OKC: Winners of 5 straight, 8-1 in their last 9

The Tip-Off

This is the third of four meetings this season between these Northwest Division rivals. After a grueling 7-game series in the second round of last season’s playoffs, these two teams haven’t let off the gas when they meet each other. OKC dominated the first game, winning by 10 points in Denver. The second game was a lot more competitive, with Denver controlling most of the game, but OKC continuously keeping it close until they were able to make it a back and forth affair late in the game and winning in overtime. That game featured some physicality, a Lu Dort flagrant 2, and a kerfuffle that saw Nikola Jokic and Jaylin Williams do the tango at halfcourt.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -6.5
  • O/U: 232.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Branden Carlson – OUT (back)
  • Alex Caruso – OUT (hip)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Chet Holmgren – Questionable (illness)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

DEN

  • Jamal Murray – Questionable (ankle)
  • Peyton Watson – OUT (hamstring)

Three Big Things

  1. Playoff Atmosphere – This is the NBA’s only current rivalry that has recent playoff history behind it. The Pacers and Knicks had some sauce behind it after last season, but with the Pacers’ “waiting in the wings” season this year, it hasn’t had the same carry-over effect. And Thunder vs. Spurs has been a thing this year, but we’ll need at least one playoff series before crowning it a true, budding rivalry. But you can see with every game these two teams have played this season, the carry-over effect has been evident and that is a great thing.
  2. Spillage From Last Game – There was a national discourse over a certain play in the last Denver game that seemed to last about a week after the game was actually played. Yes, the Dort hip check/trip on Jokic was dirty. Have dirty plays like that happened in the NBA before? Yes. Were there national discussions over it days after it happened? Usually not. It was a play that went a little over the line. Dort even admitted it himself. But in a annals of dirty plays, it wouldn’t even rate in the top-100. It was much ado about nothing.
  3. History – They say great scorers can jump out of bed and drop 20 like it’s nothing. But apparently, it’s very difficult to do it consistently, game after game. There’s the possibility of injury, where regardless of when the player gets knocked out of a game, if they played and didn’t score 20 or more the streak is over. Then there’s the consistency component. Do anything 125 times straight, and there will be a time or two where you don’t have it that day. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is staring down the barrel of a record that hasn’t been talked about too much in the history of the NBA, but also, hasn’t been talked about a lot because no player has gotten this close to the record. If SGA scores 20 or more tonight, he’ll tie a record that has stood for 63 years. If SGA scores 20 or more tonight, he’ll tie a Wilt Chamberlain record. Wilt Chamberlain, the man who owns nearly every scoring record in the game. Here’s to seeing history tonight.

 

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 @ 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 @ Houston Rockets preview (Game 42 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (34-7, 1st in the West) @ Houston Rockets (23-14, 6th in the West)
  • When: Thursday, 15 January 2026 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
  • TV: Prime Video / FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: HOU: 120.0 (3rd) / OKC: 118.2 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: HOU: 112.7 (9th) / OKC: 105.4 (1st)
  • Net Rating: HOU: 7.3 (2nd) / OKC: 12.8 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: HOU: 2-4 in their last 6 / OKC: 4 straight wins, 8-2 in last 10

The Set-Up

The second half of the season begins the same way the first half of the season did…against the Houston Rockets. After a 24-1 start to the season, the Thunder stumbled a bit in December, specifically against the San Antonio Spurs, and hit a bit of a funk. Fatigue, injuries, and the unrelenting nature of the schedule in late December and January all played a part in tiring the Thunder and making them look, dare I say, vulnerable. At the half-way point, OKC finds themselves at 34-7. The Thunder are the top team in Defensive Rating, Net Rating, Field Goals Made, Turnover Percentage (giving up the least amount of turnovers), Opponent Turnover Percentage (forcing the most turnovers), Points off Turnovers, Opponent 2nd Chance Points, Opponent Fastbreak Points, and Opponent Points in the Paint. They are 2nd in Points Per Game, Turnovers Per Game (limiting turnovers), and Opponent Effective FG% (opponents shoot 2nd worst against OKC). Ironically, for all the discourse in the NBA zeitgeist, the Thunder rank 14th in Free Throw Attempts per game.

This is the 2nd of 3 meetings this season between the Rockets and Thunder. The first game was a memorable, double-OT affair that opened up the 2025-26 NBA season. In that game, OKC won 125-124, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 35 points and Chet Holmgren adding in 28 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -4.5
  • O/U: 222.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Lu Dort – Questionable (foot)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)

HOU

  • Tari Eason – OUT (ankle)
  • Dorian Finney-Smith – OUT (ankle)
  • Fred VanVleet – OFS (knee/ACL)

Three Big Things

  1. Rebounding and 2nd Chance Points – The Houston Rockets are dominant on the glass this season. They rank first in Offensive Rebounds per game at 16.4, nearly 3 whole rebounds more than the 2nd place team. They also lead the league in rebounds per game at 49.1. They are also first in Offensive Rebound percentage and Rebound percentage. Due to this, they are also first in the league at 2nd Chance Points per game at 18.6. The Thunder, themselves, haven’t been slouches on the glass, ranking 5th in Defensive Rebounds per game and also being the best team at defending 2nd Chance Points per game. With that said, when you point to a weakness on the Thunder, securing those offensive rebounds, especially at critical points in the game, has been an issue. The absence of Isaiah Hartenstein (and Jaylin Williams, until he returned a couple of games ago) over the past month, has had an effect on how well the Thunder have been able to rebound the ball. A positive from this, though, is that since Jan. 29th, Chet Holmgren ranks 6th in the league with 10.1 rebounds per game.
  2. Β Pace – While players like Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun are great in the half-court, Houston, as a team, ranks 28th in Pace. They don’t get out and run as much as most “young” teams do. In addition, they are the 6th worst team in coughing up the ball, giving it up at a clip of 15.6 turnovers per game. If Oklahoma City is able to generate turnovers, like they usually do, and get out in transition, like they usually do, this will play greatly in their favor and may be able to offset any advantage Houston has on the boards.
  3. Packing the Paint – While the Rockets have a top-3 offense in the league, their offensive style of play plays right into what the Thunder like to do defensively. Houston is 29th in 3-point attempts and 25th in 3-point makes. They are 3rd in percentage of points scored from 2-point range, 2nd in percentage of points scored in the mid-range, and 8th in percentage of point scored in the paint. Conversely, OKC is the best team at defending points in the paint and have a defensive ethos of defending from the paint out.

Phoenix Suns vs. Thunder preview (Game 25 of 82, NBA Cup Quarterfinals)

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  • Phoenix Suns (14-10, 7th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (23-1, 1st in the West)
  • When: Wednesday, 10 December 2025 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: Prime Video
  • Offensive Rating: PHX: 115.5 (12th) / OKC: 120.0 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: PHX: 113.4 (12th) / OKC: 104.1 (1st)
  • Net Rating: PHX: 2.1 (12th) / OKC: 15.9 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: PHX: 2-1 in their last 3, 6-4 in their last 10 / OKC: 15 W’s in a row

The Set-Up

Chasing history. With a win tonight, the Oklahoma City Thunder will match the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors for the best start in NBA history at 24-1. While the records would be the same, the method in which they’ve arrived have been completely different. The Warriors changed the way the game was played offensively with their dominant pace and space style. The Thunder, on the other hand, are doing this with their other-worldly defense. The similarities are pretty loud also. Stephen Curry and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have similar impacts on their teams, while the supporting cast would be stars and starters on other teams. In addition, the coaching on both teams was top-notch and very player-driven. Now, OKC just has to go out there and do it.

This is the 2nd of (now) 5 meetings this season between the Suns and Thunder. Oklahoma City won the first meeting, which was also an NBA Cup game, by a score of 123-119. It was one of the few close games the Thunder have played recently. In that game, Jalen Williams returned to the lineup after missing the first 19 games of the season recovering from wrist surgery. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points, Chet Holmgren pitched in with 23 points and 8 rebounds, and the Thunder were able to hold off a late push from Collin Gillespie and the surprising Suns.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -14.5
  • O/U: 225.5

Injury Report

OKC

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

PHX

  • Devin Booker – Questionable (groin)
  • Koby Brea – Day to Day (wrist)
  • Jalen Green – OUT (hamstring)
  • Isaiah Livers – OUT (hip)

Three Big Things

  1. SGA is back – After a one-game absence, SGA is back in the lineup. While it does seem like SGA is dealing with something with his elbow, as evidenced by the tapework he usually has on it most games, it was also a great time in the schedule to buy Shai a game of rest. Playing against the directionless Utah Jazz allowed the team to give the reins to the other two members of their core 3, and they did what they were supposed to do. SGA may not be playing major minutes when compared to other high-usage players, but getting him a game of rest here and there is tantamount to the success of this team moving forward.
  2. 2nd Chance Points – Phoenix comes into this game as the 4th best offensive rebounding team in terms of OReb%, the 6th best offensive rebounding team in terms of raw stats (nearly 13 a game), and 9th in 2nd chance points at 16 Second Chance Points per game. With Isaiah Hartenstein being out, the onus will fall on Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams to secure defensive rebounds and prevent those 2nd chance points. In their last meeting, Phoenix’s near 4th quarter comeback was spurred by 7 offensive rebounds and 9 second chance points in the final quarter.
  3. Track Meet – Both of these teams like to create turnovers and get out in transition. The Thunder and Suns are #1 and 2, respectively, in points off turnovers. Where they differ completely is in how they defend turnovers. OKC is the #1 team in defending points off turnovers, while Phoenix is 28th in that same category. If OKC can play their game, they can win the turnover battle and the points off turnover battle.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Thunder preview (Game 23 of 82)

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  • Dallas Mavericks (8-15, 12th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (21-1, 1st in the West)
  • When: Friday, 05 December 2025 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: Prime Video
  • Offensive Rating: DAL: 107.6 (30th) / OKC: 119.0 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: DAL: 111.3 (4th) / OKC: 103.8 (1st)
  • Net Rating: DAL: -3.8 (22nd) / OKC: 15.1 (1st)
  • Streaks: DAL: 3 W’s in a row, 5-5 in last 10 / OKC: 13 W’s in a row

The Set-Up

The decision for when to start a rebuild has to be an extremely difficult one for an organization. Sometimes, it’s self-inflicted. Sometimes, it’s thrust upon you unexpectedly. But it’s a decision fraught with potholes, pitfalls, and doubt. A decision that can set your franchise back years, possibly decades. And, yet, for most every team, it’s a decision that needs to be made once every 10-15 years. For Oklahoma City, the team knew they needed a refresh after the departure of Kevin Durant and the subsequent first round exits of the Russell Westbrook/Paul George-led teams. But that weird transitional season was also needed to get off the previous train and jump onto a new one. The season with Chris Paul, a newly acquired Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, rookie Lu Dort, potential 6th Man of the Year Dennis Schroder, and Steven Adams is one that lives happily in the minds of many Thunder fans, but also one that helped position the Thunder for what they currently are today.

Which brings me to the neighbors south of us, down I-35. Dallas is in a weird spot where they have some of the pieces needed to jump-start a rebuild (Cooper Flagg and Ryan Nembhard), but also are in a holding pattern with older stars such as Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and the currently injured Kyrie Irving. They aren’t winning, but they also aren’t losing enough. These next few months before the trade deadline will be very interesting in Dallas.

This is the 2nd of 3 meetings this season between these regional rivals. OKC won the first meeting 101-94, in Dallas, in a game that saw the Thunder big men dominate on the scoreboard and on the glass. Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams combined to score 38 points and grab 30 rebounds, with 6 of those being offensive.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -15
  • O/U: 229.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (quad)
  • Lu Dort – OUT (adductor strain)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)

DAL

  • Dante Exum – OFS (knee)
  • Daniel Gafford – Questionable (ankle)
  • Kyrie Irving – OUT (knee/ACL)
  • Dereck Lively – OUT (foot)
  • PJ Washington – Questionable (ankle)

Three Big Things

  1. Ryan Nembhard – Last season, in the Finals, no players on the Indiana Pacers, outside of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakim, had more of an impact against the Thunder than Andrew Nembhard. Dallas decided to take a chance on Andrew’s younger brother, Ryan, as an undrafted free agent this past summer. And over the past four games, all starts, Ryan Nembhard has been balling out and leading the Mavericks to a 3-1 record over that stretch. Nembhard has been averaging 17 points, 7.5 assists to 1.3 turnovers, and shooting an absurd 65% from the field and 67% from three over that 4-game stretch. The one game where he did struggle during that 4-game stretch was against the Los Angeles Clippers, who have big rangy defenders like Kris Dunn who can make life difficult for a smaller point guard. With Dort and Alex Caruso out, that onus will fall on Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell.
  2. Comfortable Dub – The more games Jalen Williams gets under his belt, the more comfortable and in rhythm he gets. He hit the 20 point mark in their last game against the Warriors, scoring 22 points. His playmaking has been in mid-season form, as he’s averaging over 6 assists per game in his first 3 games. And his shooting percentage was above 50% for the first time this season in their last game. Everyone is asking whether the Thunder should throw their hat into the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstake, but honestly, Dub coming back may be their important “acquisition” this season.
  3. Upset Potential – The Mavericks are coming into this game the hottest they’ve been all season. They are riding a 3-game winning streak, Nembhard, Cooper Flagg, and Anthony Davis are all balling out, and Dallas’ defense has been consistent. You can almost always throw records out when it comes to regional rivalries and the Thunder have the biggest target on their back this season. OKC has been a little unfocused over the past few games and if that continues, it could come back to bite them in the butt this game.