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

Posted on April 2, 2026 by Alex Roig

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

The Tip-Off

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

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

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

Line: OKC -9
O/U: 231.5

Injury Report

OKC

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

LAL

Marcus Smart – OUT (ankle)

Three Big Things

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

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

Posted on March 29, 2026 by Alex Roig

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

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.
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.
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”.

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.

Boston Celtics vs. Thunder preview (Game 67 of 82)

Posted on March 12, 2026 by Alex Roig

Boston Celtics (43-22, 2nd in the East) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (51-15, 1st in the West)
When: Thursday, 12 March 2026 at 8:30pm CST
Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
TV: Prime Video / FDSN-OK
Offensive Rating: BOS: 119.8 (2nd) / OKC: 117.0 (7th)
Defensive Rating: BOS: 111.8 (5th) / OKC: 106.2 (1st)
Net Rating: BOS: 7.9 (2nd) / OKC: 10.8 (1st)
Current Streaks: BOS: Lost their last game, 9-3 in their last 12 / OKC: Winners of 6 in a row, 9-1 in their last 10

The Tip-Off

There was a point around early February, where the Thunder were struggling with injuries and struggling with winning consistently. Many basketball prognosticators pointed to this particular point in the season when the Thunder would start to lose their grip on their #1 status in both the conference and the league. San Antonio and Detroit both nipping at their tail and a murderer’s row of opponents (New York (in NYC), Denver, Boston, and Minnesota) lied ahead. The post All-Star break schedule was the one that was going to break the Thunder. What has happened since the All-Star break? A 9-1 record with the only loss being to the Detroit Pistons on a night where the Thunder were missing their top 6 players (SGA, Chet, Dub, Hartenstein, Ajay, and Caruso). This team is getting healthier and gaining some momentum at the right time in the season.

This is the first of two meetings this season between these two conference powerhouses. OKC swept the season series last season. These two teams were the favorites to meet in the Finals last season, but the injury to Jayson Tatum was too much for Boston as they lost in the 2nd round of the playoffs to the New York Knicks.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

Line: OKC -6.5
O/U: 215.5

Injury Report

OKC

Branden Carlson – OUT (back)
Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf contusion)
Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring)

BOS

Payton Pritchard – Probable (neck spasms)
Jayson Tatum – Questionable (Achilles recovery management)
Nikola Vucevic – OUT (finger)
Derrick White – Questionable (knee contusion)

Three Big Things

Pace – Boston is the “slowest” team in the league, ranking dead last in Pace and Fast Break Points per game. But, with that, comes the ability to protect the ball, which they do to the utmost, ranking first in turnovers, committing just 12.1 turnovers per game. This will be where OKC has to win the game. Forcing turnovers and getting out in transition would get Boston out of their element and turn the game in OKC’s favor.
Perimeter Defense – Boston is the most “jump-shootiest” of jump-shooting teams there is in the league. They rank 1st in 3-point attempts per game, last in free-throw attempts per game (usually an indicator of a jump-shooting team), and 28th in Points in the Paint per game. They rank 6th in percentage of points from the mid-range and 3rd in percentage of points from the 3-point line. This may change a bit with the return of Jayson Tatum, but even with Tatum in the lineup, the Celtics were normally known as a team at the top or near the top of 3-point attempts. To a team like OKC, which likes to play it’s defense inside-out, if Boston is hitting their shots consistently, it could make for a long night.
127 – Anytime you tie a record set by Wilt Chamberlain, you’re in rarefied air. Anytime you have the chance to break a record set by Chamberlain, you’re on a whole ‘nother level. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finds himself on the precipice of breaking the consecutive “20-points scored” games record. It’ll be interesting to see how Boston handles this. Are they going to throw the kitchen sink at SGA in order to try and avoid this milestone happening on their watch. Or will Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla just stick to his normal game plan and let the chips fall as they may.

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

Posted on March 9, 2026 by Alex Roig

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

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.
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.
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.

Thunder @ Toronto Raptors preview (Game 59 of 82)

Posted on February 24, 2026 by Alex Roig

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

The Tip-Off

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

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

Betting Info, provided by FanDuel

Line: TOR -1
O/U: 216.5

Injury Report

OKC

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

TOR

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

Three Big Things

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

Thunder @ 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.

Thunder @ Houston Rockets preview (Game 42 of 82)

Posted on January 15, 2026 by Alex Roig

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

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.
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.
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.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 41 of 82)

Posted on January 13, 2026 by Alex Roig

San Antonio Spurs (27-12, 2nd in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (33-7, 1st in the West)
When: Tuesday, 13 January 2026 at 7:00pm CST
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
TV: NBC/Peacock and FDSN-OK
Offensive Rating: SAS: 116.6 (7th) / OKC: 118.0 (5th)
Defensive Rating: SAS: 111.2 (3rd) / OKC: 105.4 (1st)
Net Rating: SAS: 5.4 (5th) / OKC: 12.6 (1st)
Current Streaks: SAS: 2-3 in their last 5 / OKC: Winners of 3 in a row and 7-2 in their last 9

The Set-Up

The next great rivalry. Two organizations that are foundationally very similar, appear to be on a path to establishing a rivalry that will likely lead us well into the 2030s. Two small market teams cut from the same cloth. One has already gotten the grand prize. The other appears to be a year behind, but on the same upward trajectory. Add to that, you have superstars, All-Stars, MVPs, All-NBA team members, All-Defense team members, DPOY candidates, 6MOY candidates on both rosters. It’s percolating and the NBA is hoping the eruption will occur later this season in the playoffs. The old guard may be starting to retire, but the NBA’s near future is in good hands

This is the fourth of five meetings this season between the Thunder and Spurs. The Spurs have won the first 3 meetings this season, with one of the those meetings being a 2-point difference (the Cup semifinal) and the other two being decided by an average of 17.5 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

Line: OKC -8.5
O/U: 229.5

Injury Report

OKC

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

SAS

Devin Vassell – OUT (adductor)

Three Big Things plus 2 more

Dribble Penetration – One of the biggest failings in the first 3 games of the season against San Antonio has been our perimeter defense and the lack of penetration denial. De’Aaron Fox, Steph Castle, and Dylan Harper were able to get past the Thunder’s first line of defense pretty easily and get into the paint to cause havoc from there. Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, etc. were a step slow most times during those games and it put the onus squarely on Chet Holmgren’s shoulders to not only defend the dribble penetration but also keep an eye on the Spurs’ bigs.
Get your get back – Oklahoma City may present themselves as a “0-0 mentality, this is just 1 of 82, the next game is the most important game” type bunch. And for the most part, it’s true. But don’t believe for a second that they didn’t have this game circled on their calendars once they lost on Christmas day. They want this game and they want it in blowout fashion. They hear what the basketball zeitgeist is saying. They know that they shit the bed the last couple times they’ve played the Spurs. And they are here to right some wrongs.
Chet Holmgren – Speaking of getting your get back, Holmgren needs to step his game up and get over the mental block he has when facing off against Victor Wembanyama. The ironic thing is that for most of the time Holmgren has been on the floor, he’s been facing off against Luke Kornet, due to San Antonio starting Kornet in all three meetings and limiting Wembanyama to 23 minutes per game in the games against OKC. In the three games this season against San Antonio, Holmgren is averaging 11.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1 block on 41/25/71 shooting splits. That’s a far cry from his season averages of 18 points, 8 rebounds, and nearly 2 blocks on 57/37/77 shooting splits. In the previous meetings, Holmgren may have been dealing with back issues and illness, but he should be his healthiest in this meeting. Will the real Chet Holmgren please stand up!
Normal Shooting – Can we please get a game where the shot making is normal? I mean, even for the Thunder. I’d like to see a game where shooting variance doesn’t rear it’s ugly head. Both teams shoot about 35% from deep. Let’s keep it there. No outliers, please (unless it’s OKC shooting the lights out ;-)
Ajay Mitchell – One of the biggest things missing from the two blowout losses the Thunder suffered against the Spurs was the absence of Ajay Mitchell. With Mitchell out, the Thunder had only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the lone ball-handler/shot-creator on the team. Jalen Williams would normally fill that role, but his continued recovery from wrist surgery has hampered that part of his game. Mitchell adds another wrinkle to the Thunder’s offense (and defense) that could unlock parts of the game that were missing in the last two meetings between these two teams.

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

Posted on December 13, 2025 by Alex Roig

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

The Set-Up

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

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

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

Line: OKC -11
O/U: 231.5

Injury Report

OKC

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

SAS

Victor Wembanyama – Probable (calf)

Five Big Things

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