NBA schedule release: What to know about OKC Thunder's 2022-23 regular-season slate
The Oklahoma City Thunder will tip off the 2022-23 NBA season Oct. 19 at the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Thunder will then host the Timberwolves on Oct. 23 in OKC’s home opener.
The entire NBA regular-season slate was released Wednesday.
OKC’s season opener at Minnesota will be a homecoming trip for Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren, who’s from Minneapolis. The 7-foot center starred at Minnehaha Academy — less than five miles from where the Timberwolves play at Target Center.
The Thunder’s 2022-23 schedule will wrap with a 2:30 p.m. game against the Grizzlies on April 9 at Paycom Center.
Here’s what else you need to know about the Thunder’s schedule:
More:Is Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the best non-All-Star in the NBA?
Dances with Timberwolves
Two of the Thunder’s first three games — including OKC’s season opener and home opener — are against the Timberwolves.
OKC and Minnesota play again on Dec. 3 and Dec. 16, meaning all four games of the season series will be played before the new year.
The matchup is compelling for a couple of reasons. Holmgren will not only begin his NBA career in his home city, but he’ll also be going head to head with Rudy Gobert, whom Minnesota acquired in a blockbuster trade with Utah.
Gobert is the best rim protector in the NBA, a title that might one day belong to Holmgren. At least that’s the Thunder’s hope.
More:OKC Thunder mailbag: Imagining a Chet Holmgren/Evan Mobley frontcourt
NBA national TV spotlight
The Thunder will play four games on national television, including a Nov. 1 home date against the Magic on TNT.
The game will feature the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft, Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, against Holmgren, the No. 2 pick.
The Thunder went all of last season without a game on TNT, ESPN or ABC. This season, all 30 teams are set to make at least one appearance on either TNT or ESPN.
OKC will also play three games on NBA TV, all of which are in November: Nov. 3 vs. Nuggets, Nov. 14 at Celtics and Nov. 26 at Rockets.
Bally Sports Oklahoma will air 81 of the Thunder’s 82 games. The Nov. 1 game against the Magic will air exclusively on TNT.
Double dipping
Remember the baseball style series from two seasons ago? They’re back.
The NBA is reducing travel by an average of nearly 2,000 miles per team this season compared to last season.
No travel between games for teams on the road has increased by 66% this season, the NBA announced.
There are 55 instances of teams playing consecutive road games against the same opponent, and 33 instances of teams playing two games in a row in New York (Knicks/Nets) and Los Angeles (Lakers/Clippers).
The Thunder has several baseball series.
➤ vs. Clippers, Oct. 25 and 27
➤ vs. Trail Blazers, Dec. 19 and 21
➤ vs. Kings, Feb. 26 and 28
➤ vs. Jazz, March 3 and 5
➤ at Clippers, March 21 and 23 and at Lakers March 24
More:Thunder mailbag: Can OKC make the NBA play-in tournament next season in loaded West?
Early test
The first five games are going to test the young Thunder.
Oct. 19 at Minnesota: The Timberwolves moved all-in this offseason.
Oct. 22 at Denver: The back-to-back MVP should have his main sidekicks back.
Oct. 23 vs. Minnesota: Another crack against the towering T-Wolves.
Oct. 25 vs. LA Clippers: The West better watch out if Kawhi Leonard is healthy.
Oct. 27 vs. LA Clippers: *see above
Waiting to go West
The Thunder won’t play in the Pacific Time Zone until Jan. 20 at Sacramento. That’s Game 46!
The Thunder’s West Coast trips are really backloaded. There are three in February, at the Warriors, Lakers and Trail Blazers; four in March, at the Clippers (x2), Lakers and Trail Blazers; and one in April at the Warriors.
Get ready for three 9:30 p.m. tip-offs in a four-day stretch from March 21 to 25.
More:OKC Thunder 2022-23 depth chart projection: Who starts? Who sits? What about Poku?
Party (James) Harden
The Thunder will ring in the new year with James Harden, Joel Embiid and the 76ers.
OKC will host Philadelphia at 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
The Thunder will host a New Year’s Eve game for the 15th straight season.
Home sweet home
The Thunder has a season-long seven-game homestand from Dec. 14 to Dec. 27 with games against the Heat, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Trail Blazers (x2), Pelicans and Spurs.
The Thunder has five homestands of three games or more.
More:OKC Blue, NBA G League affiliate of Thunder, to remain at Paycom Center for 2022-23 season
Road tripping
The Thunder will take a five-game road trip, its longest of the season, from Dec. 3 to Dec. 12. It might be the toughest stretch of the schedule, with games at Minnesota, Atlanta, Memphis, Cleveland and Dallas.
The Thunder will have another grueling stretch from Jan. 10 to 15 with games at Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago and Brooklyn.
Tip-ins
➤ The Thunder has 13 back-to-back sets: six road/road sets, three home/home, three home/road and one road/home.
➤ The Thunder will play an 11 a.m. game on Nov. 13 at Madison Square Garden. How cool is that?
➤ Nov. 8: Election Day. No games are scheduled in an effort to “promote nonpartisan civic engagement.”
➤ Jan. 30 vs. Warriors: Your first chance to see the defending champs in OKC.
➤ March 1 vs. LA Lakers: The Lakers’ first and only trip to OKC.
➤ March 14 vs. Nets: Will Kevin Durant still be a Net by then?
➤ March 29 vs. Pistons: Circle the date, Cowboys fans. Cade Cunningham will be in town.
➤ April 9 vs. Grizzlies: OKC will close the season with a 2:30 p.m. Sunday home game against Memphis.
2022-23 OKC Thunder schedule
All games on Bally Sports Oklahoma, except for Nov. 1 vs. Orlando.
Oct. 19: at Timberwolves, 7 p.m.
Oct. 22: at Nuggets, 8 p.m.
Oct. 23: vs. Timberwolves, 7 p.m.
Oct. 25: vs. Clippers, 7 p.m.
Oct. 27: vs. Clippers, 7 p.m.
Oct. 29: at Mavericks, 8 p.m.
Nov. 1: vs. Orlando, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Nov. 3: vs. Nuggets, 7 p.m., NBA TV
Nov. 5: at Bucks, 7 p.m.
Nov. 7: at Pistons, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 9: vs. Bucks, 7 p.m.
Nov. 11: vs. Raptors, 7 p.m.
Nov. 13: at Knicks, 11 a.m.
Nov. 14: at Celtics, 6:30 p.m., NBA TV
Nov. 16: at Wizards, 6 p.m.
Nov. 18: at Grizzlies, 7 p.m.
Nov. 21: vs. Knicks, 7 p.m.
Nov. 23: vs. Nuggets, 7 p.m.
Nov. 25: vs. Bulls, 7 p.m.
Nov. 26: at Rockets, 7 p.m., NBA TV
Nov. 28: at Pelicans, 7 p.m.
Nov. 30: vs. Spurs, 7 p.m.
Dec. 3: at Timberwolves, 7 p.m.
Dec. 5: at Hawks, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 7: at Grizzlies, 7 p.m.
Dec. 10: at Cavaliers, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 12: at Mavericks, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 14: vs. Heat, 7 p.m.
Dec. 16: vs. Timberwolves, 7 p.m.
Dec. 17: vs. Grizzlies, 7 p.m.
Dec. 19: vs. Trail Blazers, 7 p.m.
Dec. 21: vs. Trail Blazers, 7 p.m.
Dec. 23: vs. Pelicans, 7 p.m.
Dec. 27: vs. Spurs, 7 p.m.
Dec. 29: at Hornets, 6 p.m.
Dec. 31: vs. 76ers, 7 p.m.
Jan. 3: vs. Celtics, 7 p.m.
Jan. 4: at Magic, 6 p.m.
Jan. 6: vs. Wizards, 7 p.m.
Jan. 8: vs. Mavericks, 6 p.m.
Jan. 10: at Heat, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 12: at 76ers, 6 p.m.
Jan. 13: at Bulls, 7 p.m.
Jan. 15: at Nets, 5 p.m.
Jan. 18: vs. Pacers, 7 p.m.
Jan. 20: at Kings, 9 p.m.
Jan. 22: at Nuggets, 7 p.m.
Jan. 25: vs. Hawks, 7 p.m.
Jan. 27: vs. Cavaliers, 7 p.m.
Jan. 30: vs. Warriors, 7 p.m.
Feb. 1: at Rockets, 7 p.m.
Feb. 4: vs. Rockets, 7 p.m.
Feb. 6: at Warriors, 9 p.m.
Feb. 7: at Lakers, 9:30 p.m.
Feb. 10: at Trail Blazers, 9 p.m.
Feb. 13: vs. Pelicans, 7 p.m.
Feb. 15: vs. Rockets, 7 p.m.
Feb. 23: at Jazz, 8 p.m.
Feb. 24: at Suns, 8 p.m.
Feb. 26: vs. Kings, 6 p.m.
Feb. 28: vs. Kings, 7 p.m.
March 1: vs. Lakers, 7 p.m.
March 3: vs. Jazz, 7 p.m.
March 5: vs. Jazz, 6 p.m.
March 7: vs. Warriors, 7 p.m.
March 8: at Suns, 8 p.m.
March 11: at Pelicans, 7:30 p.m.
March 12: at Spurs, 6 p.m.
March 14: vs. Nets, 7 p.m.
March 16: at Raptors, 6:30 p.m.
March 19: vs. Suns, 2:30 p.m.
March 21: at Clippers, 9:30 p.m.
March 23: at Clippers, 9:30 p.m.
March 24: at Lakers, 9:30 p.m.
March 26: at Trail Blazers, 6 p.m.
March 28: vs. Hornets, 7 p.m.
March 29: vs. Pistons, 7 p.m.
March 31: at Pacers, 6 p.m.
April 2: vs. Suns, 6 p.m.
April 4: at Warriors, 9 p.m.
April 6: at Jazz, 8 p.m.
April 9: vs. Grizzlies, 2:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: NBA schedule 2022-23: OKC Thunder game times, TV channels, key dates
