Quick West Coast Trip Gives OKC Thunder Valuable Challenge

Oklahoma City is set for a two-game road trip, and it could be a perfect test to begin 2026.

After a four-game homestand helped the Thunder expand a three-game winning streak, they will be putting that on the line for a couple of contests against pesky conference opponents. In a quick two-game road trip, the Thunder will face the Golden State Warriors on Friday and the Phoenix Suns on Sunday before coming back home for a Monday matchup against Charlotte.

Over the past few weeks, the Thunder’s hopes of beating the all-time wins record have effectively evaporated, but the quest for another season of 65+ wins is still well within reach. Still with a comfortable lead atop the Western Conference, the Thunder have a chance to show their dominance again this weekend.

The Thunder’s first test will come on Friday night against one of the league’s rising teams. After a slow start to the season, the Warriors have played some better ball as of late and will be looking for their first win against Oklahoma City this season after dropping the first two matchups.

Just a couple of years ago, this matchup was filled with storylines about a young team trying to prove they’ve passed the NBA’s last dynasty. Of course, that narrative has flipped entirely, as the defending champion Thunder are looking to showcase how great they are against a potential first-round opponent.

While it’s hard to say how the standings might look when April rolls around, it’s probably a safe bet that both Golden State and Phoenix will be in the play-in mix, making these two arenas places the Thunder might have to get familiar with in a few months.

While Stephen Curry is questionable for the matchup on Friday night, these matchups could also feature some exciting star matchups in the backcourt as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takes on Curry and Devin Booker.

With the Thunder being 2-0 with a blowout and close win against each team, these third matchups could easily swing in any direction. Despite their overall dominance, the Thunder have been a bit of a wild card on the road over the past couple of years, so these games could serve as a fresh start in the new year for Oklahoma City to play its brand of basketball away from Paycom Center.

While these are still just a couple of regular season games against teams that won’t be in the contender mix this season, any road games against potential playoff matchups could hold some real weight as the Thunder navigate the rest of the season.