OKC Thunder to Host NBA Playoffs Opener on Sunday

The defending champions begin their title defense with a nationally televised matinee game.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 3:20am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of bright blue and orange, representing the Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff run.The Oklahoma City Thunder's quest to defend their NBA championship begins with a favorable path through the Western Conference playoffs.Oklahoma City Today

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who finished the regular season with the NBA's best record at 64-18, will host the winner of the play-in tournament for their first-round playoff opener on Sunday, April 19 at 2:30 PM CT. This will be the Thunder's first playoff appearance as defending champions, as they look to become the first repeat winner in the league since 2018.

Why it matters

The Thunder are aiming to buck the recent trend of NBA champions failing to make it out of the second round the following season. With a favorable path to the conference finals, Oklahoma City is widely projected as a lock to advance further than the previous six title holders.

The details

The Thunder will face either the Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, L.A. Clippers or Golden State Warriors in the opening round, with the specific opponent to be determined by the results of the play-in tournament. Oklahoma City will have the advantage of hosting the series opener, while their first-round opponent will be playing on short rest after Friday's play-in game.

  • The Thunder's regular season ended on Sunday, April 13.
  • The NBA Playoffs begin on Sunday, April 19.
  • The Thunder's first-round opener is scheduled for 2:30 PM CT on April 19.

The players

Oklahoma City Thunder

The NBA team that finished the 2025-26 regular season with the league's best record at 64-18, earning the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs as the defending champions.

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What they’re saying

“This puts one projected competitive series in front of the Bricktown Ballers in their quest to make it back to the NBA Finals and has most projecting them as a lock to make it further than the previous six Champions.”

— Rylan Stiles, Author

What’s next

The full schedule for the Thunder's first-round playoff series will be released later this week.

The takeaway

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter the 2026 NBA Playoffs as the heavy favorites to advance deep into the postseason and defend their championship, thanks to a favorable path through the early rounds.