Stiles Points Decision to Leave OKC Thunder Off NBA Christmas Slate is Egregious

The OKC Thunder being left off the NBA Christmas Day Slate is an egregious decision.

May 15, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) reacts to an official’s call after a play against the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter of game five of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAYchet Holmgren Sports / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA saw its Christmas Day slate leaked by the Athletic on Thursday night with a shocking omission. In the biggest day of the NBA regular season calendar, the No. 1 team in the Western Conference who roster a back-to-back top-five MVP finisher, the coach of the year and a pair of rising stars to compliment a championship level rotation will be absent on the holiday. 

While seven West teams make their way onto the five game slate the Thunder were passed over and all the excuses fall flat. 

The chief among them being market size despite San Antonio making the cut. Sure, the Spurs wind up on the pass list due to Victor Wembanyama’s star power despite being in just his second season being one of the most recognizable names in the sport. However, market size was never a problem in getting the Thunder on Christmas Day for their eight year run stretching from 2010-2018. 

The lack of stars is also not a valid excuse given what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander represents as a player not to mention the Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams aspect of things both of whom have carved out a niche group of fans with Holmgren being in the NBA fans ecosystem since he was in high school. 

However, the most egregious part of this whole scheduling debacle is the fact that there isn’t a single matchup on this list that the Thunder doesn’t bolster. 

Spurs-Knicks for example: Take the Knicks out of the equation and you have Holmgren battling Wembanyama in what is prone to be the next great NBA rivalry. Take the lowly Spurs out of the matchup and you are left with Isaiah Hartenstein returning to New York and a battle of two of the top teams in the league. 

Celtics-76ers: With just two matchups against these two teams either OKC faces off with the best team in the NBA in Boston - the only squad picked over them or see a Paul George homecoming. 

Mavericks-Timberwolves: On top of the rekindling of last year’s second round matchup which represented the best series of the 2023-24 postseason, a matchup against their division foes that even after a win over Oklahoma City were so out of sorts they questioned the league’s integrity would be intriguing television. 

Lakers-Warriors: LeBron James and Anthony Davis sells any game but especially against the young kids on the block the NBA world is itching to crown, especially when you factor in the way the Thunder struggled against the purple and gold a year ago. In a similar vein, the last time we were discussing potential dynasties the Golden State Warriors were in the midst of a golden era. As they get the band together for an awkward half hazard farewell tour can they outlast the kids one last time? 

Nuggets-Suns: The Nuggets selling point is also an easy one, as the division rivals square off with Holmgren battling Jokic who ripped away an MVP award from Gilgeous-Alexander as he is countered by Jamal Murray whose Olympic Dud cost the Thunder’s duo a medal. Plus, the Suns are only on this list due to the Kevin Durant factor which only heights if he is playing his former team on the verge of putting together a run similar to the one he built in Bricktown. 

No matter how you slice it, Oklahoma City enhances this Christmas Day slate in another year where the NBA’s largest day on the colander is set to be overshadowed by the like of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, CJ Stroud and the big bad NFL. 

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