Witness electrifying matchups as the Thunder battle top contenders. Expect MVP races, playoff previews, and intense rivalries to decide the top seed.
Oklahoma City has a two-game lead over San Antonio in the loss column with 20 games left, so the fight for the one seed may go down to the wire. Here are the best remaining regular season games on the Thunder’s schedule.
Vs. Nuggets on March 9: This matchup is by far the best Thunder game until the playoffs. These teams played an overtime thriller on Feb. 27 that had numerous flagrant and technical fouls, including a Luguentz Dort ejection. Look for the bad blood and physicality to carry over into this game. It’s also a duel between the two best players and teams in the NBA, and both squads may finally be at full strength. Plus, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can break the regular season record for most consecutive 20-point games in NBA history assuming he maintains the streak in Oklahoma City’s previous three games.
Vs. Timberwolves on March 15: Although the rivalry with Minnesota does not quite reach Denver levels, the Wolves and Thunder have no love for each other. It’s always a physical slog that enters clutch time when these teams face off. Oklahoma City has bragging rights after defeating Minnesota 4-1 in the 2025 Western Conference Finals, but Anthony Edwards and company are 2-1 against the Thunder this season. A storyline to monitor is whether Wolves head coach Chris Finch bashes the officials again in his post-game interview.
At Celtics on March 25: Despite Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles and losing Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet last offseason, Boston currently occupies the two seed. Joe Mazulla has his offense humming thanks to his commitment to three-pointers, and Boston seemingly wins on the margins every game. Tatum will have made his season debut and shaken off some of the rust when this contest tips off, too. Overall, it’s a potential Finals preview, and a trip to TD Garden is always worth the effort.
Vs. Pistons on March 30: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso were all sidelined when the Thunder played the Pistons on Feb. 25, so it did not truly count as a battle between the one seeds. Both teams project to be at full strength during this rematch, which means fireworks. Detroit is an extremely physical team and has a similar roster construction to Oklahoma City. A duel between Gilgeous-Alexander and Cade Cunningham also has massive league MVP implications.