OKC Thunder passed over for Christmas Day game again

The OKC Thunder are building one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA. Undoubtedly, the Thunder will be one of the most fun teams for fans to follow all season long, and as preview season ramps up, expect to see Oklahoma City at the top of “League Pass Rankings” lists.

Within the next week, the NBA will announce the entire 82-game schedule for the League. The OKC Thunder will finally find out where Chet Holmgren will make his NBA debut, how many National TV games the team has to begin the season, and when their longest road trip take place.

OKC Thunder snubbed from the 2023 NBA Christmas Day Slate despite having one of the best young teams in the league.

As we inch closer to the NBA Schedule release, rumored to take place on Wednesday, the Athletic’s Shams Charania has posted the Christmas Day slate.

The NBA left some meat on the bone with this Christmas Day Slate, but ultimately, it is a good lineup. Each year, Christmas Day represents the most significant regular season date on the NBA calendar. For years the league has used this as a stand-alone event to market their sport and, in some cases, for casual fans tip off a new season. In recent seasons, the NFL has encroached on the Association’s territory, including placing Football’s (and arguably American Sports’) biggest star Patrick Mahomes on Christmas Day.

Though with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Knicks, Joel Embiid (and Possibly James Harden!), Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo (And Presumably Damian Lillard!), Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Jamal Murray, and Nikola Jokic headline the slate.

Of these matchups, the beef between Doncic and Booker could make that Mavericks vs. Suns tilt the best on the card, though it is hard to pass up the classic Celtics/Lakers rivalry.

Sure, the OKC Thunder have been passed over for a Christmas Day bout, but this could be the last time for a while that the Thunder are home for the Holidays.