10 Key Games on the Oklahoma City Thunder Schedule

Dec 19, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; An outside view of the arena prior to action between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Chicago Bulls at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

As we’ve stated before, this is arguably the most important season in the brief history of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Questions about players being able to mesh together, win consistently and thrive under new leadership will dog the team for must of the next 7-8 months. And we can finally look forward to key matchups over the next 82 games.

The Thunder released their full regular-season schedule on Wednesday evening. Some information had been leaked previously (specifically OKC’s first opponent and who they’d face on Christmas Day) but not until now did we know exactly who and when they’d face each of the other 29 teams in the league.

Before we get into specific games, here’s some basic information about the schedule, as per the team’s press release:

• Regionally, 71 of the Thunder’s 82 regular season games will be broadcast on FOX Sports Oklahoma, which reaches viewers in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
• All games can be heard via the Thunder Radio Network, led by flagship station WWLS-FM (98.1 FM) The Sports Animal in Oklahoma City.
• OKC is slated to appear on national television 33 times during the 2015-16 season. ABC will feature the Thunder on five occasions, including a Christmas matinee versus the Chicago Bulls. Additionally, Oklahoma City is set to make nine TNT and 10 ESPN appearances during the course of the 2015-16 season. NBA TV will also feature the Thunder on at least nine occasions.
• The Thunder will once again continue its tradition of family-friendly scheduling this season with 20 home games set to be played on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. All nine of the team’s Sunday home contests will be played during the afternoon or a 6 p.m. early-evening format.
• Oklahoma City will host a four-game holiday homestand beginning on Dec. 25 versus Chicago and conclude with New Year’s Eve matchup versus the Phoenix on Dec. 31. It marks the eighth consecutive season the Thunder has been at home on New Year’s Eve and the first time the team will be at home on Christmas Day since 2011. The longest homestand of the season also features a Dec. 27 matchup with Denver and Dec. 29 contest with Milwaukee.
• During the 2015-16 season the Thunder will have a pair of four-game road trips. Oklahoma City’s schedule also features 13 one-game road trips and five two-game trips.
• The Thunder will compete in 16 sets of back-to-backs during the 2015-16 season, four of which will be played in the opening month of the season.
• Single-game tickets for the entire regular season will go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 29, through okcthunder.com. Thunder Season Ticket Members will be able to post guaranteed authentic tickets for purchase by other fans starting later this week, also through the team website.

Now, here’s an early look at the 10 best games on the Thunder’s regular-season schedule.

Next: The Home Opener