Amid a busy offseason that has already reshaped the roster, the OKC Thunder now know some of the biggest checkpoints on their 2026-27 calendar.
The preseason schedule was released days ago, and now the league has unveiled the team’s season opener, home opener and Christmas Day matchup. The rest of the schedule is still to come, but these early dates already sketch out a pretty interesting start for Oklahoma City.
There’s no easing into it. The Thunder will begin the season on the road against the San Antonio Spurs, the West rival that knocked them out in seven games in the Western Conference Finals. San Antonio then went on to reach the NBA Finals, beating OKC in that deciding game before falling short against the champion Knicks.
That opening-night trip is a little unexpected for a team that has finished as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for three straight seasons. Instead of getting the comfort of starting at home, the Thunder will head to San Antonio first.
Opening night around the league will have some heavy names attached to it, too. The new-look 76ers, now featuring Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, will take on the Knicks, while the Pistons are set to meet the Celtics.
Oklahoma City’s first home game will come two days after that opener, when Denver comes to town. It sets up another early-season clash with a Nuggets team the Thunder have battled plenty over the last few seasons.
That stretch gets even more intriguing over a three-day window, when reigning two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will line up against what should be his biggest early tests in Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic.
The Thunder also landed another Christmas Day showcase, their second straight year playing on Dec. 25. This time, they’ll face the Timberwolves, who have undergone major changes of their own this offseason.
Minnesota added star guard LaMelo Ball and moved on from players like Naz Reid and Julius Randle.
One more notable wrinkle: the Thunder’s Christmas Day game will be in Minnesota, which means two of their three biggest games released so far will be on the road.
In Other News...
Thunder Get An Immediate Test Against Spurs On Opening Night
The NBA has already given Oklahoma City a headline-worthy start to the 2027-28 season, sending the Thunder to San Antonio for an Oct. 20 Opening Night meeting with the Spurs. The game will air on NBC and Peacock with an 8:30 p.m. CT tip-off, putting two of the leagues most intriguing young teams in the spotlight from the jump.
It also gives the Thunder an immediate measuring stick against a Spurs group they just saw in the 2026 Western Conference Finals, a series that underscored how close both franchises are to the top of the West. With both clubs expected to be contenders again, this is the kind of early-season matchup that can carry a little extra weight long after opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Chet Holmgren Just Put New Pressure On The Thunders Future
The Thunders postseason ended with a harsh reminder of how thin the margins can be when a team is trying to climb from contender to championship threat. Oklahoma City was pushed out by the Spurs in a seven-game series, and Chet Holmgren came away owning his part in the loss after a series in which his impact never quite matched the scale of the matchup.
Holmgrens struggles are stirring a bigger conversation around the Thunders future, especially because the center is already tied to a max contract and the franchise has to keep an eye on how its money is committed. In the wake of the series, some around the league are wondering whether his long-term fit could come under pressure if those same issues keep showing up in the biggest games. [Read more 🡒]