Christmas Day Snub Places Chip on OKC Thunder's Shoulder

The NBA's annual Christmas Day lineup was announced Thursday night, but shockingly, the Oklahoma City Thunder was left without an opponent.

Apr 10, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; (L-R) Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) and forward Jaylin Williams (6) and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) and forward Jalen Williams (8) and forward Chet Holmgren (7) watch their team play against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

In the NBA regular season, there isn't a more coveted day for a team to play than Christmas.

The holiday generates some of the biggest TV ratings every year, thanks to the star-studded matchups that are typically put together. The biggest names and best teams get the nod, so when you reach that pedestal, you know you've made it.

The Oklahoma City Thunder playing on Christmas seemed like an almost certainty. It claimed the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference last season, and since the San Antonio Spurs in 2012, every No. 1 seed has received a game on Dec. 25. It's the gift most teams would expect for a successful season, but the Thunder was given coal in its stocking instead.

Outside of being the top team in the West, Oklahoma City has one of the league's brightest young cores, spearheaded by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. Those are players that have earned the spotlight of Christmas Day, and viewers aren't going to switch the channel when they see them in action. If anything, they'll tune in to watch the stars of the future.

To gain viewership and attention, the NBA has to put the teams on the rise in a primetime setting. Instead of the Thunder, it focused on the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, a potential face of the league down the road. There's an obvious reason why San Antonio made it — people want to see the 20-year-old's freakish skillset. He's undoubtedly a generational talent, so placing him on a big stage makes a lot of sense.

That being said, a previous record of 22-60 shouldn't get a team nearly that close to a Christmas game. The Spurs will likely be looking on the outside of the playoffs once again, while Oklahoma City will be eyeing an NBA Finals for the second season in a row. In the past, the strength of teams mattered the most on Christmas. Now, it seems that name value and marketability has become the first priority.

Because of that, the Thunder is going to have a massive chip on its shoulder next season.

Time and time again, Oklahoma City has felt counted out. It plays in one of the smallest markets in the league, so it naturally gets less attention placed on it, especially when it's in the lottery. Few could've predicted its 57-win campaign last year, but it defied its youth to immediately place itself in the upper echelon of contenders. It even received doubt in the first round against the New Orleans Pelicans, which it quickly handled in four games.

The Thunder has recognized it has to fight for national media attention. It's not a Los Angeles or New York, it doesn't have a LeBron James or Stephen Curry. But it is on the path to being a team constantly competing at the highest level, along with a bonafide MVP candidate in Gilgeous-Alexander. Its talent may not have gotten the attention it deserves yet, but there's no question it will seek to prove doubters wrong again.

If Oklahoma City has another year at the top of the conference, Gilgeous-Alexander is in the running for MVP again and the rest of its core continues to improve, the NBA may not have a choice but to give it a Christmas Day game. It'll use the snub as motivation, just like all the other slights it has received over the last couple of years.

At the end of the day, it's just a Christmas game. Thunder players and staff can stay at home and celebrate the holiday with their families, and continue the regular season the next day. But, it is a signal that the rest of the league still hasn't quite given it the respect its seeking.

Oklahoma City wants to earn that. It may have taken a massive step forward last season, but that has shown to be not enough. It still has to establish itself as a mainstay at the top, and further its playoff success than just the second round. If it needed any more reason to do that, it just received it yesterday.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.