Thunder Season Preview: Top Five Must-See Games

Originally Published: Oct 25, 2010 8:16 PM CDT

Oct. 22 – Position Breakdown
Oct. 23 – Key Losses and Additions
Oct. 24 – Top Five Moments of 2009-10
Oct. 25 – Breaking Down the Opposition
Oct. 26 – Top Five Games to Look Forward To
Coming Oct. 27 – Vitals: Thunder vs. Chicago Bulls

Grant Belcher
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

Two years ago when the Thunder started off 3-29, the games that people most looked forward to were the ones against other bad teams. In other words, the games the Thunder actually had a shot at winning.

These days, things are a little bit different for OKC. The team has more than 20 national TV appearances and headlines some of the league’s top slots, such as Christmas Day and opening night. Not surprising, seeing as how NBA general managers voted the Thunder the most fun team to watch.

In an 82-game season, it’s tough to catch every single contest, but if you must pick and choose, here are the top five must-see games of the season for the Thunder.

For more Thunder previews and analysis, check out the links at the top of the story.


Saturday, Dec. 25 vs. Denver - ESPN

The Thunder have gotten so popular since last season that not only do they get the featured Christmas Day game, but also get to host it. The famously spirited Oklahoma City crowd likely had a lot to do with that. It’s hard to say whether Carmelo Anthony will still be with Denver, and if he’s not, this game could be a blowout in OKC’s favor. But either way a Christmas Day game is something to savor for Thunder fans and it could perhaps be the first of many.

Sunday, Jan. 30 vs. Miami Heat - ABC

Any team in the league’s top five must-see games list now officially includes the Miami Heat. The new super team offers fans a chance to see three of the league’s superstars, or at least two superstars and an All-Star. It also features what some consider the matchup of the upcoming decade in LeBron James versus Kevin Durant. Oklahoma City only gets to host each Eastern Conference team once per season, so this is fans’ only chance to see one of the most talented teams in NBA history.

Tuesday, Feb. 22 vs. L.A. Clippers - FSN

A game against the Clippers would be otherwise uneventful for Oklahoma City except for one player: former OU All-American Blake Griffin. OKC was denied the opportunity to see its hometown hero last season when Griffin broke his left kneecap and missed the entire season. He is an early frontrunner for Rookie of the Year and should get a warm welcome home, assuming he can stay healthy until that point in the season.

Sunday, Feb. 27 vs. L.A. Lakers - ABC

An obvious selection to make the list, the Thunder’s rematch against the Lakers will be one of the most anticipated games of the season, and not just within the OKC and L.A. markets. The game is a Sunday afternoon matchup on ABC, a spot that takes a rather high-quality matchup to fill. The Thunder took the Lakers to six games in the first round of the playoffs and many consider OKC to be the Lakers’ biggest threat in the Western Conference this year. On top of all that, it features another marquee matchup between Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant.

Friday, Apr. 1 @ Portland Trailblazers - FSN

In the 2009-10 season, the Thunder clinched a playoff spot with seven regular season games left on the schedule. With seven games remaining on this season’s schedule, the Thunder will be in Portland to take on the division rival Trailblazers. Even if the Thunder have already clinched a playoff spot by that time, this game will likely have huge implications on both the playoff standings and the Northwest Division race. Throw in recurring storylines such as the Blazers whiffing on drafting Greg Oden over Durant as well as Portland owner Paul Allen voting against the franchise’s move to OKC and you get one intense matchup.

Honorable Mention: Friday, Dec. 31 vs. Atlanta Hawks - FSN

While this particular matchup doesn’t exactly jump out, New Year’s Eve will always have a particular place in Thunder history. After the 3-29 start in OKC’s first year, the Thunder picked up a win against Golden State on New Year’s Eve 2008 to snap the slump. The team went 20-30 from that point until the end of the season. While that wouldn’t be considered a successful finish by today’s standards, it was a world of difference from the pitiful start and a sign of things to come. And it is still an exciting feeling for Oklahomans to add a professional basketball game to their list of New Year’s events in Bricktown.