Top 3 non-OKC Thunder games during the NBA season

The NBA season is just around the corner, with every NBA team having their Media Day wrapped up by September 26th, each team will be in training camp come September 27th, and the first NBA preseason tilt is slated for September 30th.

We are almost fully back into the swing of things within the Association, with the first regular season matchups set to tip off on October 18th. While we are all excited for Oklahoma City Thunder basketball, let’s take a look at non-Thunder games to get excited about this season.

Non-Oklahoma City Thunder games that every NBA fan should tune in to throughout the 2022-23 NBA season, headlined by Ja Morant,

1) Christmas Day: The Memphis Grizzlies taking on the Golden State Warriors on the biggest stage in basketball is going to be must-watch television. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder will not be featured on the Christmas Day slate, but this matchup will still be can’t miss, tipping-off at 7 p.m. central time, the league’s brightest stars will share the floor in a manufactured rivalry that could create some fireworks.

I think Memphis is one of the most fun teams to watch in the league, with Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and hopefully by Christmas Jaren Jackson Jr. Of course, Steph Curry and the reigning Champion Warriors play a beautiful brand of basketball that maybe OKC fans do not get to see much of during the regular season when they are not facing off with the Thunder due to the late-night tip-offs.

2) November 13th: The new-look Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in a matchup of former teammates.

There are few teams more interesting than the Minnesota Timberwolves this season. How will Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert fit next to each other? How much of a leap can rising star Anthony Edwards make? Will this be a team designed to win in the regular season, or postseason? I will be league-passing the Wolves all season long. For picking out a non-Thunder matchup involving Minnesota, I think you should carve out time on November 13th to see them take a trip to Cleveland.

For the Cavaliers, not only do they have Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland as an All-Star backcourt, but Evan Mobley down low can become one of the best bigs in the NBA and is paired with a shot-swatting anchor in Jarrett Allen who became a first-time all-star last season. To tie together their starting group, Isaac Okoro who I think projects as a defensive star.

I think the Cavs match up well with Minnesota’s two-big lineup and the Donovan Mitchell matchup with Rudy Gobert adds a layer of drama that NBA fans love so much.

3) Opening Night, October 19th: The Orlando Magic take on the Detroit Pistons

Yes, I am a sicko, okay? But hear me out, it is opening night, so no young players will be sidelined and everyone (fingers crossed) will be healthy. I am so interested in how these two Eastern Conference foes match up, and who has the better young core?

While that will not be decided in one game, I do think these will be two of the more fun teams to follow all season long. From Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs to Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Jaden Ivey.