Ranking The Top Five Thunder Games Of The Season

<p>We&rsquo;re only four days away from the start of the 2016-17 NBA season, therefore there&rsquo;s no better time than now to rank the most appealing Thunder games of the year.&nbsp;</p>

Saturday, October 22nd 2016, 5:37 pm

By: Brett Coppenbarger


We’re only four days away from the start of the 2016-17 NBA season, therefore there’s no better time than now to rank the most appealing Thunder games of the year.

Related: Westbrook, Durant Transparent When Discussing Each Other In Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone

Let’s start with No. 5 and count down to the most exciting game of the season.

#5: Thursday Nov. 3, @ Golden State

NBA superstar Kevin Durant spurned the franchise he helped build this past July, making the early season trip to the Bay Area the first time he’ll square off against the Thunder since joining the Warriors.

The game will be televised by TNT, and the entire basketball world will gather around their TV sets to see how Russell Westbrook reacts when given the chance to face off with his former comrade. Not to mention, it’s only the first of four heated matchups.

#4: Sunday Dec. 25 vs. Minnesota

It’s always an honor for an NBA team to get the chance to play on Christmas day, and the Thunder’s holiday opponent sure doesn’t lack excitement. The Minnesota Timberwolves are widely considered the most exciting young team in the league with blossoming stars such as Karl Anthony-Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Kris Dunn and Zach Lavine. There will be plenty of hype leading into this primetime matchup.

#3: Wednesday Nov. 2 @ Clippers

While the Thunder will start the season with three cupcake games against the Sixers, Suns and Lakers, a matchup with the Clippers will be OKC’s first real test of the season.

For a long time the Thunder were considered a step above the Clippers in the Western Conference, but with a new face of the of the franchise, look for OKC to use this game as a measuring stick to see how they stack up in the West.

A Westbrook vs. Chris Paul matchup will be a dandy to watch, while it’ll be a great battle in the post with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan going against OKC’s bruising big men.

#2: Saturday Nov. 26 vs. Detroit

This will be a season of revenge for Westbrook, and one of the games he’ll have circled is a matchup against his longtime backup Reggie Jackson.

A former first round pick of the Thunder, Jackson definitely didn’t hide his desire to get out of OKC, forcing the team to move him before the 2015 trade deadline in a deal that brought the Thunder Enes Kanter, Kyle Singler and DJ Augustine.

Jackson’s attitude didn’t sit well with Westbrook, and last year’s battles between the two sure didn’t lack fireworks. Look for the OKC crowd to be ready with boos every time Jackson dribbles up the court.

#1: Saturday Feb. 11 vs. Golden State

It won’t come until halfway into the season, but Durant will make his first return to Oklahoma City when the Warriors come to town in February.

This will be the third matchup between the teams, but look for this game to be the one with the most drama. Thunder fans were loyal supporters of Durant for the past eight seasons, so it’ll be interesting to see how they react when he trots up and down the court sporting a Warriors jersey.

With the ongoing rumors that Warriors’ players recruited Durant throughout all of last season, look for there to be a lot of bad blood between these two Western Conference foes.  

#4: Sunday Dec. 25 vs. Minnesota

It’s always an honor for an NBA team to get the chance to play on Christmas day, and the Thunder’s holiday opponent sure doesn’t lack excitement. The Minnesota Timberwolves are widely considered the most exciting young team in the league with blossoming stars such as Karl Anthony-Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Kris Dunn and Zach Lavine. There will be plenty of hype leading into this primetime matchup.

Christmas Day Games:

Celtics-Knicks
Warriors-Cavs (!)
Bulls-Spurs
Timberwolves-Thunder
Clippers-Lakers

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) August 11, 2016

#3: Wednesday Nov. 2 @ Clippers

While the Thunder will start the season with three cupcake games against the Sixers, Suns and Lakers, a matchup with the Clippers will be OKC’s first real test of the season.

For a long time the Thunder were considered a step above the Clippers in the Western Conference, but with a new face of the of the franchise, look for OKC to use this game as a measuring stick to see how they stack up in the West.

A Westbrook vs. Chris Paul matchup will be a dandy to watch, while it’ll be a great battle in the post with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan going against OKC’s bruising big men.

#2: Saturday Nov. 26 vs. Detroit

This will be a season of revenge for Westbrook, and one of the games he’ll have circled is a matchup against his longtime backup Reggie Jackson.

A former first round pick of the Thunder, Jackson definitely didn’t hide his desire to get out of OKC, forcing the team to move him before the 2015 trade deadline in a deal that brought the Thunder Enes Kanter, Kyle Singler and DJ Augustine.

Westbrook says "who?" when asked about a future matchup against Pistons/Reggie Jackson pic.twitter.com/gNatDqu37U

— NBA PickUp (@NBAPickUp) June 30, 2016

Westbrook on Reggie Jackson after celebration pic.twitter.com/YnOjHojjQ3

— NBA PickUp (@NBAPickUp) June 30, 2016

Jackson’s attitude didn’t sit well with Westbrook, and last year’s battles between the two sure didn’t lack fireworks. Look for the OKC crowd to be ready with boos every time Jackson dribbles up the court.

#1: Saturday Feb. 11 vs. Golden State

It won’t come until halfway into the season, but Durant will make his first return to Oklahoma City when the Warriors come to town in February.

This will be the third matchup between the teams, but look for this game to be the one with the most drama. Thunder fans were loyal supporters of Durant for the past eight seasons, so it’ll be interesting to see how they react when he trots up and down the court sporting a Warriors jersey.

With the ongoing rumors that Warriors’ players recruited Durant throughout all of last season, look for there to be a lot of bad blood between these two Western Conference foes.  

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We’re only four days away from the start of the 2016-17 NBA season, therefore there’s no better time than now to rank the most appealing Thunder games of the year. 

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