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Nuggets, Cavs headline Thunder’s essential games in 2025-26 title defense
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- Nuggets, Cavs headline Thunder’s essential games in 2025-26 title defense
The post Nuggets, Cavs headline Thunder's essential games in 2025-26 title defense appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder have set the bar higher than ever for themselves, as reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , All-Star Jalen Williams , and Chet Holmgren enter the 2025-26 campaign. The Thunder will navigate the regular season with a target on its back, from very talented teams such as the Denver Nuggets and the Cleveland Cavs . The secret's out on how young and talented Oklahoma City is as the team.
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OKC has the best odds of repeating as champions since the Golden State Warriors in 2017. The Thunder reigned a cut above the rest in the Western Conference throughout the regular season last year, winning 68 games before posting a 12-4 record en route to the NBA Finals. Their NBA Finals series went the distance against the Indiana Pacers . The Thunder received the champion's treatment amidst the NBA's regular-season schedule release.
Oklahoma City will be featured in 34 nationally-televised games , including the association's respective Christmas Day and Martin Luther King Day showcases. Here are the top-5 must-see matchups throughout the Thunder's 2025-26 regular season.
5. San Antonio Spurs on December 25 [ABC]
Feb 29, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) battle for position in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Led by All-Star Victor Wembanyama , the San Antonio Spurs will look to make a significant push into becoming a playoff team in a competitive Western Conference in 2025-26. In the Thunder's first Christmas Day game since 2018, the 2025 champions earned the honor to feature the Chet Holmgren vs Wembanyama showdown between the top two picks from their 2022 draft class. The Spurs can test where they stand against the reigning champions.
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4. Los Angeles Lakers on April 2 [Prime]
With All-Star LeBron James entering the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, who officially made Luka Doncic the future of its franchise, following a three-year extension, the pressure's on the two to lead their team beyond the opening round of the playoffs. In their first full season together, the Lakers will find out if they're legitimate title contenders in a matchup against the Thunder at the Paycom Center, with playoff implications most likely in play.
3. Houston Rockets on October 21 [NBC]
The Thunder will cement their 2025 NBA title on Opening Night against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets. In their first ring and championship banner ceremony, it'll be a historic night in franchise history. Fittingly enough, Durant will watch it all at the Paycom Center . Once the face of the franchise, Durant left OKC to win titles with the Golden State Warriors. Now, with the highly anticipated revamped Rockets, KD will get first crack at the champs.
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2. Cleveland Cavs on February 22 [ABC]
After injuries derailed a promising Cleveland Cavs team destined to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, the All-Star trio of Donovan Mitchell , Darius Garland , and Evan Mobley is back to regain supremacy in the East. After two compelling matchups in 2024-25, one of which the Cavs handed the Thunder its only loss to an Eastern Conference team last season, this mid-season marquee matchup and potential NBA Finals preview will not disappoint.
1. Denver Nuggets on March 9 [Amazon Prime]
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
As the only team in the Western Conference that pushed the Thunder to the brink in last year's playoffs, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets reloaded a roster whose depth rivals the champs' second unit. They added rim protection by trading for Jonas Valanciunas, three-point shooting in signing Tim Hardaway Jr. , and perimeter defense by bringing back Nuggets champion Bruce Brown . The Nuggets also upgraded Michael Porter Jr. with Cameron Johnson , and are the Thunder's biggest threat to prevent the champs from going back-to-back.
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