Dissecting the OKC Thunder first half 2020-21 season schedule with a view to how it compares to the team’s opponents.
This past weekend the league released the NBA schedule for the first half of the 2020-21 campaign. The OKC Thunder can now prepare with knowledge of their travel plans and opponents during the period of December 22nd to March 4th.
Alterations and tweaks will be part and parcel of the 2020-21 itinerary primarily to accommodate any issues tied to the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, the league needs to keep the second half fluid to proactively manage the calendar in the event games are postponed and therefore need to be rescheduled.
As such, the time period typically reserved for the All-Star weekend and associated week of rest will happen but the actual weekend of events won’t. Fans and coaches will still vote for their All-Stars to allow for resume accolades and to allow for contract bonuses.
Other shifts such as consecutive games versus same conference teams were expected to reduce traveling and subsequently enhance safety and health protocols. For example, the OKC Thunder will play both road games against the Clippers in January and Lakers in February while they’ll host both home matches versus the Rockets and Wolves in February.
The second part of the season schedule will run from March 11th to May 16th leading into the play-in tournament and postseason games.
In terms of the 37 dates, the OKC Thunder will play TI dissecting the calendar with a view to specific insights and how the club’s schedule compares to their counterparts.
Dissecting the OKC Thunder first half schedule
Home and Season opening games:
The season opener for the OKC Thunder occurs December 23rd in Houston versus the Rockets while they’ll host the Jazz in the home opener on December 28th. The last game the team plays prior to the break is also on the road in San Antonio on March 4th, versus the Spurs.
Home – Road splits:
The club plays 18 home games and 19 road games in this phase of the season. That equates to 37 contests of the 72 games they’ll play this season. If the Thunder aren’t faced with postponed games due to the pandemic they would play 35 games in the second half. Those 35 games will feature another 18 home games and 17 road games.
Of the 19 road matches the club plays, there are two stretches of five-game road trips. The first tips off the New Year primarily on the East Coast. OKC will play the Florida clubs (Magic, Heat) although they won’t see the transplanted Raptors who’ll be playing in Tampa Bay until restrictions are lifted in Toronto. That trip finishes with matches against the Pelicans, Knicks, and Nets. Games on this trip will occur every other day from January 2nd to January 10th.
The second five-game road trip occurs between January 19th and 22nd on the West Coast. This trip features the Nuggets, back to back games versus the Clippers, the Blazers and finishes with a match against former captain Chris Paul‘s Suns in Phoenix.
Conversely, the longest homestand is a five-game set running from January 29th to February 6th. Within this stand, the Thunder will play back-to-back sets against the Rockets and Wolves and kick off the stay versus the Nets marking Kevin Durant’s first trip to Chesapeake with his new team.