Discover which playoff teams ignite the most passion and provide the fiercest challenge for the championship-bound Thunder.
Here's what we know about the Oklahoma City Thunder's Round 1 Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs: the date, the time, the location and the television channel. The Thunder will be playing this Sunday at 2:30PM central at The Paycom Center in OKC and the contest will be nationally televised on ABC.
Here's what we don't know about the Oklahoma City Thunder's Round 1 Game of the 2026 NBA Playoffs: the opponent.
The best I can do is narrow it down to four teams. That's right, just five days before the Thunder tip off their quest to win back to back NBA championships and their opponent could still be 13% of teams in the league. Every OKC fan will have their preferences of which of the field of four squads they'd most and least like to see in the opening round.
But here is one RoundTable writer's rankings from least to the most intriguing Thunder 1st Round matchups.
4. Portland Trail Blazers. Make no mistake, this low position has nothing to do with talent nor merit. If this were a ranking of play-in teams who could give OKC the toughest 1st round matchup, the Blazers may top the list. But as far as compelling storylines, the only historical beef between these two teams and fanbases is when Damian Lillard waved goodbye to Russell Westbrook, Paul George and the 2019 Thunder team in the playoffs. Thing is, that iconic "bad shot" ended up kickstarting OKC's rebuild and, thus, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a treasure trove of picks. So Oklahoma City fans think of that series as fondly as Portland fans, if not more.
3. Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker brings more star power to the matchup than any Trail Blazer player. Dillon Brooks will almost assuredly become a heavily booed enemy in OKC for his in-game physicality and antics. And the Suns are likely the best basketball team in the West play-in field, which counts for something.
2. Los Angeles Clippers. The NBA's current champs versus the team that helped build that championship roster. The number of times that infamous Shai Gilgeous-Alexander/Paul George trade details graphic will be posted on social media or shown on television will hit seven figures. Kawhi Leonard aspiring to capitalize on arguably his greatest season for one last postseason hurrah. Revenge series for the reigning MVP against the team that drafted him and then traded him after his rookie season.
1. Golden State Warriors. This era of Thunder basketball trying to get a bit of retribution against the greatest rivals of the first era of Thunder basketball. The NBA's potential budding dynasty versus the NBA's last dynasty. Arguably the best guard of the 2020's versus inarguably the best guard of the 2010's. Draymond Green reclaiming his title, even if for only four short games, as Thunder fans' public enemy number one. Even without the historical rivalry and Kevin Durant subtext, just the sheer star power between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Steph Curry alone would have this matchup ranked at the top.