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Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs preview (Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals)

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  • #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (11-2) @ #2 San Antonio Spurs (10-5)
  • When: Thursday, 28 May 2026 at 7:30pm CST
  • Where: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX
  • TV: NBC/Peacock
  • Playoff Offensive Rating (of the three teams still remaining in the playoffs): SAS: 114.9 (3rd) / OKC: 120.1 (2nd)
  • Playoff Defensive Rating (of the three teams still remaining in the playoffs): SAS: 105.0 (2nd) / OKC: 109.4 (3rd)
  • Playoff Net Rating (of the three teams still remaining in the playoffs): SAS: 9.9 (3rd) / OKC: 10.7 (2nd)
  • Series Record: OKC leads 3-2

The Tip-Off

The Oklahoma City Thunder have not enjoyed a great history with Game 6’s. To the point where they are commonly associated with a certain player who played for the Golden State Warriors and had an other-worldly performance in the 2nd half of a pivotal Game 6. Even though there was a Game 7 after that game, the “Game 6 Klay” game was likely the beginning of the end of the Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook Thunder. In recent history, OKC has played in three Game 6’s in the past 2 seasons and the results have not been great. In 2024, they played in Game 6 against the Dallas Mavericks and lost a one-point nail baiter that saw them bounced from the playoffs that year. In 2025, against both Denver and Indiana, OKC had a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 and lost both in blowout fashion, setting up Game 7’s in both those series. Luckily, for the Thunder, they won both of those Game 7’s on their way to the title last season.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: SA -3.5
  • O/U: 218.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (calf)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – Questionable (hamstring)

SAS

  • None

Three Big Things

  1. SGA – This feels like the kind of game where OKC will need an MVP performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. While he’s done well enough to give the Thunder a 3-2 series lead, he hasn’t put together MVP-like performances in consecutive games this series. And that’s by no fault of his own. With Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell both being out, San Antonio’s defense has been able to key in on SGA like no other team has been able to do. The physicality by Stephon Castle and the shadowing by Victor Wembanyama has been enough to knock the MVP shine off of SGA. But he’s adjusted by relying on his playmaking and when his teammates are knocking down shots, the Thunder usually are coming out victorious. But when his teammates struggle, that is where San Antonio’s is able to complete their grasp on SGA.
  2. Who steps up? – OKC’s wins in this series have been buoyed by great performances from their role players. Even in the Game 1 loss, Alex Caruso came up with 31 points. Jared McCain has been a revelation in several of the games this series. Jaylin Williams has shown up and been huge as a floor spacer. And the big man duo of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein have been extremely important for the Thunder at times in this series. With Game 6 being on the road, which role player will step up for the moment. My money is on Caruso having another great game and grabbing the Western Conference Finals MVP award when it is all said and done.
  3. Physicality on Wemby – This has been Wembanyama’s longest season of his career. And you can tell it’s starting to wear on him. He settled for way too many jumpers in Game 5 and made his moves off the dribble later than usual, allowing OKC’s defense to get in place to defend him. I think we’ll see a lot more offensive movement by San Antonio to try and get Wemby space to operate. The Spurs, like OKC and SGA, will need an MVP-like performance from Wemby to have a chance in this game.

Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs preview (Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals)

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  • #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (9-1) @ #2 San Antonio Spurs (9-4)
  • When: Friday, 22 May 2026 at 7:30pm CST
  • Where: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX
  • TV: NBC/Peacock
  • Playoff Offensive Rating (of the remaining 4 playoff teams): SAS: 114.4 (3rd) / OKC: 128.2 (1st)
  • Playoff Defensive Rating (of the remaining 4 playoff teams): SAS: 100.0 (1st) / OKC: 108.2 (3rd)
  • Playoff Net Rating (of the remaining 4 playoff teams): SAS: 14.4 (3rd) / OKC: 20.0 (2nd)
  • Series Record: Tied 1-1

The Tip-Off

Perspective can be a funny thing. Both of these teams are heading into Game 3 saying the same thing: “Damn, we could be up 2-0.” San Antonio had control for most of Game 1, but could never completely shut the door on OKC and required double overtime to secure a victory. And OKC was the aggressor in Game 2, but their lead never completely felt safe. A couple shots going in either way, and we have a completely different series on our hands. That’s how close this series has been, After two games, OKC is leading San Antonio in total points scored in the series, 237-235. When a series is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 wins the series 73.3% of the time. Last season, though, OKC bucked that trend in the Denver and Indiana series, losing Game 3 in both series, and coming back to win the series in 7 games.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -1.5
  • O/U: 217.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – Questionable (hamstring)

SAS

  • De’Aaron Fox – Questionable (ankle)
  • Dylan Harper – Questionable (adductor)

Three Big Things

  1. The Officials – It sucks that this has to lead off my “3 Big Things”, but we all know there will ultimately be a game where the refs are going to swing the momentum either way. To their credit, the refs have been great in the first two games. This series is extremely physical both ways and the refs have done a great job of controlling the game, both from a physicality perspective and a foul-calling perspective. The more aggressive team has rightfully gotten the benefit of the calls in both games. But now that Isaiah Hartenstein has imposed his will on Victor Wembanyama, will Marc Davis and his crew try to course-correct the physicality or will it be a continuation of the first two games?
  2. Injuries/Depth – This is why depth is king in today’s NBA. By this point in the season, teams are dealing with some sort of injury to key player(s). It is almost a given. New York has had to keep an eye on OG Anunoby’s hamstring. San Antonio with Fox and, now, Harper. OKC with Jalen Williams. Cleveland has probably been the healthiest, but also benefit from having a deep roster. If both Fox and Harper have to sit, it could bear itself pretty significantly if the Spurs have to play their 9th-10th guys. Jordan McLaughlin and Harrison Barnes got some action in Game 2 and McLaughlin was a -10 in his 7 minutes of action. OKC has basically played the entire season without Dub, but it still would have been beneficial to have him healthy throughout the playoffs.
  3. Force Wemby to Work – As crazy as it may sound, they way to defeat Wembanyama is to make him work defensively. In Game 1, OKC was thinking too much on the offensive end and allowing Wemby to just roam and not tire himself out defensively. He played defense mentally, more than physically in Game 1. In Game 2, OKC continuously put him into actions and made him have to move around and make decisions. Many times, it was the correct decision, but OKC was able to catch more of a rhythm offensively because they forced Wemby to have to make a decision and then dictated terms from there. A secondary effect to this is tiring Wemby so he isn’t as effective on the offensive end for San Antonio.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals)

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  • #2 San Antonio Spurs (9-3) vs. #1 Oklahoma City (8-1)
  • When: Wednesday, 20 May 2026 at 7:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: NBC/Peacock
  • Playoff Offensive Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 116.3 (3rd) / OKC: 123.3 (1st)
  • Playoff Defensive Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 102.2 (1st) / OKC: 108.9 (3rd)
  • Playoff Net Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 14.0 (3rd) / OKC: 14.4 (2nd)
  • Series Record: SAS leads 1-0

The Tip-Off

So this is what it must’ve felt like to go against Wilt Chamberlain in late 50s/early 60s. Or what NBA centers must’ve felt when Shaquille O’Neal first entered the league in the 90s. To see someone so physically imposing move in ways that defy what you’ve seen before is what legends are made of. But when it’s happening to your team in real time, it’s gut-wrenching. In Game 1, Victor Wembanyama dominated to the tune of 41 points and 24 rebounds. He used his length (and the fear of his length) to his advantage. Ironically, while in the “walk-up” tunnel as Wemby was passing us by, myself and Suave Report’s Addam Francisco were discussing before the game the different strategies OKC may employ to defend Wembanyama. And I, stupidly tempting the basketball gods, said, “I don’t really think we need to focus on him on the offensive end. It’s not like he’s consistently beating teams by putting up 40 point/20 rebound games.” As Taylor Swift has famously said before, “It’s me, hi. I’m the problem, it’s me.” Here’s hoping some course-correcting juju goes OKC’s way in Game 2.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -6.5
  • O/U: 216.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)

SAS

  • De’Aaron Fox – Questionable (ankle)

Five Big Things

  1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – The current, reigning MVP has got to be better in Game 2. He scored 24 points on 23 shots and was a team worst -15 while he was on the floor. But it wasn’t necessarily just the misses. It was also the hesitancy to get to his shots up because of Wembanyama and the Spurs’ defense. And I get it. Just look at the article picture. That’s three Spurs players laser-focused on SGA. The correct basketball play says that SGA should pass to a more open teammate in that situation. But, the Thunder aren’t going to win if SGA is only attempting 5 field goals in a half (which is what he did in the first half of Game 1). San Antonio took the game to the Thunder in Game 1. SGA has to lead the charge for OKC to do that in Game 2.
  2. Random Role-Player Game – Losing any game in the playoffs can be painful. But losing a game where Alex Caruso goes off for 31 points on 8-14 shooting from deep is nerve-piercing, migraine-inducing painful. The Thunder usually aren’t the beneficiaries of the “random role-player going off” game. Honestly, it’s usually done to them. Will we ever see another game like this from Caruso? Will we get a Jared McCain or Isaiah Joe game like this? If San Antonio is going to sell on keeping all of the Thunder’s players out of the paint, we are likely going to need similar nights from someone other than OKC’s core quartet (SGA, Dub, Chet, and Ajay).
  3. The Puzzle that is Wemby – This is going to be the conundrum that the league is going to have to figure out for likely the next decade. Wembanyama completely changes the geometry of the court on the defensive end. He instills fear in drivers and turns teams into jump-shooting versions of themselves. While his basketball IQ is high, he can be hyper-focused on getting blocks. This could work in OKC’s favor if SGA or Dub can get Wembanyama to bite on some pump-fakes. Wemby was foul-less for most of the game and then racked up 4 fouls pretty quickly. It happened later in the game, so it didn’t really affect his time on the floor, but if those fouls are picked up earlier in the game, it may for San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson to sit Wemby for more stretches in the game.
  4. Starting Lineup Change? – In the second half of Game 1, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault started Cason Wallace in place of Isaiah Hartenstein. The “Wemby + 4 guards/shooters” line-up made it difficult to keep both bigs out there for an extended period of time. At the beginning of the game, OKC saw themselves down 7-0 early with San Antonio targeting Hartenstein in pick and roll action. The downside to sitting Hartenstein is that you lose your muscle and rebounding up front (of which, iHart wasn’t very good in Game 1 with only 2 rebounds). It may be up to the guards of OKC to focus more on getting defensive rebounds and helping Chet up front if he is the lone big.
  5. Ajay Mitchell – The belle of the ball in the first two rounds of the playoffs looked a little pumpkin-ish in Game 1. He had 4 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, but only took 5 shots in his 34 minutes of action. A lot like SGA, Mitchell has to figure out how to navigate the waters with Wemby out there. Dribble penetration and paint touches are the name of Mitchell’s game, but that’s also where Wemby patrols most often. OKC really needs Mitchell to be a factor, especially in bench lineups where Wembanyama may be on the bench.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals)

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  • #2 San Antonio Spurs (8-3) vs. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (8-0)
  • When: Monday, 18 May 2026 at 7:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: NBC/Peacock
  • Playoff Offensive Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 117.3 (3rd) / OKC: 126.3 (1st)
  • Playoff Defensive Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 102.2 (1st) / OKC: 109.3 (3rd)
  • Playoff Net Rating (of the remaining playoff teams): SAS: 15.2 (3rd) / OKC: 17.0 (2nd)
  • Series Record: 0-0

The Tip-Off

Inevitabilities in life: taxes, death, and the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs meeting in the 2026 Western Conference Finals. These two freight trains have been on a collision course since it became evident that San Antonio had jumped into a Mario warp pipe and skipped from level 2 to level 8 on the development curve. Having a generational talent like Victor Wembanyama will allow you to do that. Then came the five meetings this year between these two teams and the narrative that San Antonio is probably the best equipped team to knock off the champs in the playoff series, and you get to where we are now. First to four for Western Conference supremacy and a trip to the NBA Finals. ANNNNDDD….it’s on NBC. Cue the music, John Tesh.

Season Series

Game 1 – Dec. 13th (San Antonio won 111-109) – This was the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas, NV. A back and forth affair in the 4th quarter. San Antonio hit just enough more shots late in the game to keep OKC at bay and hold on to a 2-point victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 29 points and 5 assists, but also had 5 turnovers and shot 1-7 from deep. San Antonio, on the over hand, had four players with at least 22 points, led by Devin Vessell.

Game 2 – Dec. 23rd (San Antonio won 130-110) – OKC held a 2-point lead at halftime and then proceeded to get blown out 72-50 in the 2nd half. The Spurs were the aggressors, as evidenced by the disparity in free throw attempts (24-7), forced turnovers (15-9), and points in the paint (60-48). SGA led the way again with 33 points, with Jalen Williams chipping in with 17 points. San Antonio was led by Keldon Johnson (25 points) and Steph Castle (24 points).

Game 3 – Dec. 25th (San Antonio won 117-102) – Definitely, the “oh shit” moment for the Thunder. OKC finally got a Christmas game at home and came out and laid an egg against the Spurs. OKC shot 39% from the field and struggled to consistently get stops on the defensive end. The flashpoint in this game was Alex Caruso shooting 2-12 from deep (but starting off 0-9 before finally seeing one go through late in the 3rd quarter). De’Aaron Fox led the way for San Antonio with 29 points with Wembanyama contributing with 19 points and 11 rebounds. SGA scored 22 points on 7/19 shooting, while Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Game 4 – Jan. 13th (OKC won 119-98) – The “get back” game for the Thunder. Were more the aggressors in this one, holding San Antonio to 40% shooting from the field and winning the points in the paint battle, 56-40. OKC used a huge third quarter that saw them turn a 3-point halftime lead into a 19-point lead heading into the fourth. OKC was led by SGA with 34 points and Dub with 20 points. Steph Castle had 20 points and Wemby had 17 and 7 for the Spurs.

Game 5 – Feb. 4th (San Antonio won 116-106) – The “scheduled loss” game for OKC. Second night of a back to back. Third game in four nights. And, with four previous games against the Spurs, the team probably saw this as an opportunity to see if there was something unconventional that could be discovered in this game. What many thought would be a blow-out going away turned into a very competitive game that saw the Spurs starters play until the last minute of the game. OKC was led by Kenrich Williams (25 points and 9 rebounds), Jaylin Williams (24 points and 12 rebounds), and Aaron Wiggins (20 points). The Spurs were led by Keldon Johnson (25 points) and Wembanyama (22 points and 14 rebounds).

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -6.5
  • O/U: 221.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)

SAS

  • De’Aaron Fox – Questionable (ankle)
  • Luke Kornet – Questionable (foot)

Five Big Things

  1. Healthy J-Dub – One of the biggest X-factors for OKC is whether they’ll get a healthy Jalen Williams for the series. In the regular season games, Williams played in the four consequential games for OKC but was never fully healthy. He was still recovering from his offseason wrist surgery and was working his way back during all four of those Spurs games. In that quartet of games, Dub averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 turnovers, and 2.5 steals with 44/36/67 shooting splits. While those numbers look okay, they pale in comparison to what an healthy, efficient Dub stat-line would look like. If San Antonio is going to put full effort into stopping SGA, having a healthy Dub is necessary for OKC to continuously pressure the Spurs defense.
  2. Chet’s mindset – For a player that was an All-Star and will likely be on one of the All-NBA teams, Holmgren’s four games against San Antonio were as forgettable as they come. The Thunder big man averaged 10.5 points and 8 rebounds on 39/20/80 shooting splits. For OKC to be successful in this series, they need Holmgren to be effective out there. Someone that makes San Antonio pay as a release valve and someone the Spurs needs to pay attention to. Too many times in those four San Antonio games, Holmgren was just a body out there, allowing the Spurs to load up in the paint and forcing OKC to be primarily a jump-shooting team. He doesn’t necessarily need to win every battle against Wembanyama, but he does need leave his imprint on every game.
  3. Ajay Mitchell – Mitchell played in only one of the five games against San Antonio this season. Ironically, it was the game where OKC won. As Mitchell’s star has grown throughout these playoffs, he becomes the unknown factor in this series against the Spurs. Being that secondary/tertiary ball-handler is something OKC did not have in most of the games against San Antonio this season and something the Spurs haven’t seen a ton of in these playoffs. Portland plays similarly to OKC with Deni Avdija being the offensive engine, but Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday aren’t necessarily on the level of Dub and Ajay Mitchell. Minnesota had an Anthony Edwards at about 80% and Ayo Dosunmu and Julius Randle, two players who are primarily attackers and not play-makers.
  4. Jared McCain – Can McCain play in this series? He’d definitely be a weapon as a floor spacer, but can he hang defensively with San Antonio’s guard attack. Is it a short leash situation where if the shot is falling, you take the defensive liability? McCain was obtained on February 3rd and didn’t play in the final meeting of the season between OKC and the Spurs. Like Mitchell, could McCain’s addition into the rotation provide a look the Spurs haven’t seen before from OKC?
  5. Turning Castle over – If there is a guard the Thunder could target with defensive pressure, it could be Steph Castle. The 2nd-year guard is averaging 3.1 turnovers per game in the playoffs, which is most on the team. His physicality lends itself to committing offensive fouls and being a bit careless with the ball at times. If the Thunder want to infuse any of their DNA into this series, it’s going to start on the defensive end with turning turnovers into points. They are first in the league this postseason in that category, scoring 22.9 points per game off turnovers.

Thunder @ Phoenix Suns preview (Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals)

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  • #1 Oklahoma City Thunder (3-0) @ #8 Phoenix Suns (0-3)
  • When: Monday, 27 April 2026 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, AZ
  • TV: Peacock
  • Series Record: OKC leads 3-0

The Tip-Off

The Slog. It’s what I like to call Game 4’s the Oklahoma City Thunder are involved in. Over the last two postseasons prior to this year’s, the Thunder have gone 6-0 in Game 4’s. But the average margin of victory in those games was just 4.7 points, with the largest margin of victory being 8 points. Two of those games were decided by just two points (against Memphis and Minnesota). In three of those series (against Dallas, Denver, and Indiana), the Thunder were facing a 2-1 series deficit and NEEDED Game 4 to even the series. The one constant in all of those games has been the performance of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In the six Game 4’s from the last two postseasons, SGA has averaged 32.7 points on 47% shooting from the field, 6.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1 block.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -11.5
  • O/U: 214.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

PHX

  • Jordan Goodwin – Questionable (calf)
  • Mark Williams – OUT (foot)

Three Big Things

  1. Next Man Up – With Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe both missing Game 3, the “next man up” mentality shifted over to Aaron Wiggins and Jared McCain both getting significant playoff minutes. And each played their role well. McCain came into the game and played that hybrid “Isaiah Joe/Ajay Mitchell” role and scored 7 quick points in the second quarter. Wiggins played 11 minutes, and while there was anything spectacular about his performance, he was a +8 in the game during that time. This is a testament to coach Mark Daigneault and his insistence on keeping players ready throughout the regular season.
  2. Chet Holmgren – Phoenix is still without Mark Williams, and while Oso Ighodaro had a good bounce-back game in Game 3, the center position is still a point of weakness in the Suns’ lineup. Holmgren struggled a little on offense in that game, especially with the absence of Dub, who opens up so many opportunities for Holmgren in the halfcourt. I think we a little more big to big action in this game to exploit Phoenix’s size deficiency.
  3. Just Get It Done – As we’ve seen in the early going of these playoffs, the postseason eventually turns into a war of attrition. Last postseason, we saw injuries to Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, Aaron Gordon, and to a lesser extend, Dub and Chet, all have effects on their teams’ playoff performances. This postseason, we’ve seen Donte DiVencenzo and Anthony Edwards both go down with serious injuries within minutes of each other. Victor Wembanyama was concussed for a game and a half. Peyton Watson, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have yet to play a game in the playoffs. Kevin Durant has only played in one game. And Gordon and Dub are back dealing with soft tissue injuries. The less time you need to play, the less possibility you have of injuries occurring. As Daigneault has been known to say, “We can only control what we can control,” and winning Game 4 is definitely something they can control.

Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers preview (Game 79 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (62-16, 1st in the West) @ Los Angeles Lakers (50-28, 4th in the West)
  • When: Tuesday, 07 April 2026 at 9:30pm CST
  • Where: Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: LAL: 117.1 (9th) / OKC: 117.6 (7th)
  • Defensive Rating: LAL: 116.0 (20th) / OKC: 106.0 (1st)
  • Net Rating: LAL: 1.2 (16th) / OKC: 11.6 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: LAL: Losers of 2 straight, but had won 13 of their previous 14 games / OKC: Winners of 5 straight
  • Magic Number (to clinch the No. 1 seed throughout the playoffs): 2

The Tip-Off

In my honest opinion, this is the most dangerous time in the season for a contending team. The thin line between resting players and keeping them sharp by playing in sometimes meaningless games leads to the possibility of fatigue and, worst of all, injuries. The Lakers experienced that twice in one game, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves being knocked of the Thunder game (and the rest of the regular season and likely part or all of the postseason) with soft-tissue injuries. San Antonio saw Victor Wembanyama go down in their last game with a rib injury. Regardless of the severity of the injury, rib injuries have a tendency to creep back up, especially with the increased physicality of playoff games. This is why wrapping up your playoff positioning as early as possible is so important.

This is the fourth and final meeting of the regular season between the Thunder and Lakers. The Thunder have won the first three meetings this season by an average of 27 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -18.5
  • O/U: 220.5

Injury Report

OKC

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

LAL

  • Luka Doncic – OUT (hamstring)
  • LeBron James – OUT (foot)
  • Austin Reaves – OUT (oblique)
  • Marcus Smart – OUT (ankle)

Three Big Things

  1. Take Care of Business – With a magic number of 2, the Thunder could go ahead and wrap up home-court advantage for the playoffs by the end of the day on Wednesday. But the games still need to be played and the Thunder face a Lakers team that is very depleted, but very desperate. The Lakers will likely come out like a wounded animal, looking to not only seek some revenge on the Thunder, but also regain their grip on the 3rd seed in the West. The Thunder will need to come out early, play their game, and not give LA any form of hope.
  2. Depth – The Thunder have it. The Lakers currently do not. This is where the game can go from a deficit to a blow-out for the Lakers. Los Angeles will have to contend with one of the best starting line-ups in the league, and then will have to match that against one of the best/deepest benches in the league.
  3. Attack the Paint – The key to the blowout victory on April 2nd wasn’t the three-pointers or the injuries to Reaves and Doncic. It was OKC’s ability to get into the paint and then cause havoc once there by either scoring or spraying the ball out to open shooters. The Thunder scored 64 points in the paint. Their season average for points in the paint is 49.5 (good for 17th in the league). With the lack of rim protection and with Marcus Smart still being out, this may be another paint-touch mastery class in the making.

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.

 

New York Knicks vs. Thunder preview (Game 75 of 82)

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  • New York Knicks (48-26, 3rd in the East) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (58-16, 1st in the West)
  • When: Sunday, 29 March 2026 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: NBC/Peacock
  • Offensive Rating: NYK: 118.7 (3rd) / OKC: 117.2 (7th)
  • Defensive Rating: NYK: 112.1 (5th) / OKC: 106.3 (1st)
  • Net Rating: NYK: 6.6 (5th) / OKC: 11.0 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: NYK: Lost their last game, winners of 7 straight before that / OKC: Won their last game, went 15-2 in their previous 17.
  • Magic Number (to clinch the No. 1 seed in the West): 7

The Tip-Off

OKC has the hardest remaining schedule in the league, per Tankathon.com. Seven of their last 8 games are against current post-season qualified teams, with five of those games coming against teams that in the top-4 of their conferences. Now, as this is the end of the season, the rosters may not always play out in full strength, but the possibility is still there. In addition, the Thunder are being chased by San Antonio, who has a much easier schedule to finish out the year. If you are a fan of games of consequence in April, this is the year for you. Enjoy the last 8 games of the season…not just in OKC, but throughout the NBA. There’s an air of vulnerability with the Thunder and teams are trying their hardest for positioning and opportunity.

This is the second and final meeting of the regular season between the Thunder and Knicks. The Thunder won the first meeting 103-100 in Madison Square Garden in a game that saw the Knicks get two opportunities to tie the game in the finals seconds only to miss the shots. In that game, Chet Holmgren led the Thunder with 28 points and 8 rebounds.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -8.5
  • O/U: 223.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Brooks Barnhizer – Day to Day
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)

NYK

  • Kevin McCullar Jr. – OUT (calf)
  • Deuce McBride – OUT (pelvis)
  • Landry Shamet – OUT (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Perimeter Defense – The Knicks are 7th in 3-pointers made, 11th in 3-pointers attempted, and 4th in 3-point percentage per game. The dribble and drive game of Jalen Brunson facilitates the open looks for Karl-Anthony Towns and New York’s plethora of 3-and-D wings. The point of attack defense on Brunson will be crucial to limiting this aspect of New York’s offense. Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso will need to be on their defensive game today.
  2. Jalen Williams – New York struggles a little on offense against the Thunder because of Jalen Williams’ ability to guard KAT one on one. Dub wasn’t available for the last game between these two, but having a fully healthy Williams to matchup against KAT can open up rotational options for the Thunder.
  3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – It’s been a while since SGA has had a defining game. I know, I know…how can you average 30+ points per game, lead the best team in the league, and be in the midst of a record (20 points scored per game) and still need defining games? But we were spoiled to a stretch there where OKC was winning games of consequence and SGA was hitting game-winner after game-winner that essentially shut-down the MVP at that time. But then NBA twitter and the talking heads got bored with that and in entered Victor Wembanyama into the MVP chat. So SGA has about 5 more games left this season (I doubt he plays the remaining games this year) to make a statement and let people who may have forgotten know “the MVP still resides in Oklahoma City”.

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.

Indiana Pacers vs. Thunder preview (Game 46 of 82)

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  • Indiana Pacers (10-35, 15th in the East) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-8, 1st in the West)
  • When: Friday, 23 January 2026 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: IND: 107.8 (30th) / OKC: 118.5 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: IND: 116.0 (19th) / OKC: 105.2 (1st)
  • Net Rating: IND: -8.2 (28th) / OKC: 13.2 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: IND: 1-4 in their last 5 games / OKC: 7-1 in their last 8 games

The Set-Up

It’s amazing how quickly things can change when it comes to sports. Last couple of seasons, we’ve seen a tough bunch out of Indiana led by Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakim, and Myles Turner. That squad, surprisingly, led the Pacers all the way to the Finals last season and took the Thunder to 7 games. Unfortunately, you know the rest of the story. Haliburton tears his Achilles early in Game 7, the Thunder take control of that game in the second half, OKC wins the championship, and Turner walks in the offseason to division rival Milwaukee. What was looking to be a championship contender for the next half decade now has to go back to the drawing board. The move to get their pick back during the Finals is now one of the greatest hind-sight moves ever. With their struggles this season and a record that should allow them to get a high draft pick, the right amount of luck could get them back in the championship mix a lot sooner than later. This should also be a lesson to Thunder fans to live in the moment. A serious injury to the wrong player could throw, not just a season, but an entire run into a tailspin. Appreciate what you are seeing now instead of constantly worrying about what you can’t see (the future).

This is the 2nd and final meeting of the season between the two teams that competed in last season’s NBA Finals. OKC won a double overtime thriller very early in the season, 141-135, in a game that saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander get a career high 55 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -16
  • O/U: 226.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (adductor)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (abdominal)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Aaron Wiggins – Questionable (groin)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)
  • Jaylin Williams – Questionable (glute/back)

IND

  • Tyrese Haliburton – OFS (Achilles)
  • Quenton Jackson – Questionable (ankle)
  • Bennedict Mathurin – OUT (thumb)
  • Obi Toppin – OUT (foot)

Three Big Things

  1. Play Your Brand of Defense – The Indiana Pacers are one of the worst shooting teams in the league. They are last in Offensive Rating, FG%, Effective FG%, and True Shooting%. They are 29th in 3-pt FG%. They are 25th in Points In The Paint. In short, they struggle scoring the ball. They rank 5th in the league in percentage of points scored in the mid-range. This plays well into the Thunder’s defensive scheme. If the Thunder can form their defensive shell around the paint and not have to worry too much about jump shots, that usually a recipe for success for Oklahoma City.
  2. Attack Them – The Pacers are 29th in the league in committing fouls. Their perimeter defense is surprisingly porous and center Jay Huff is their only viable rim protector. We may see a double digit free throw attempt game from SGA tonight.
  3. Depth…or lack thereof – I’m really going to need the Thunder to stop getting injured. The depth, which is one of their biggest weapons, is taking hits left and right. And while the injuries are thankfully not of the critical variety (outside of Sorber), they are still becoming very annoying. Here’s hoping for health now and health heading into the playoffs in April.