What to Watch For in OKC Thunder vs. Portland Trail Blazers

A tradition unlike any other, the Oklahoma City Thunder are hosting the Portland Trail Blazers on New Year's Eve with this being an annual home game for OKC since relocating to Bricktown. A staple of hte Holiday season.

The OKC Thunder are attempting to close the four game home stand strong with three straight wins after sweeping the back-to-back set with wins over the 76ers and Hawks. Oklahoma City will have to continue to do so short handed, missing two of their three front court options in Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams for this contest.

At 28-5, the Thunder have seen one of these losses come at the hands of Portland, though on the second night of a road-road back-to-back. Oklahoma City has since blown the Trail Blazers out twice in a row, once at each venue. Now the season series between these divisional foes wraps up before the calendar flips to 2026.

OKC Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Portland Trail Blazer — Nov 23, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) moves past Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

What to Watch For

How can the Oklahoma City Thunder bottle up Donovan Clingan? Down Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams, there will be stretches of this game where the Bricktown Ballers are forced to play small. If that is while Clingan is on the floor, it should net a huge advantage for Portland both on the glass and in the paint offensively. Can the OKC Thunder limit that exposure and damage when it does pop up?

Chet Holmgren has put together back-to-back 20-plus point nights. Consistency is the name of the game with the Rising Star, can he once again have an eye-popping scoring night for the third straight contest?

Jalen Williams is still awaiting his scoring touch to come around for him following his offseason wrist surgery. On Monday against Atlanta, he did a great job of putting his head down and getting to the rim at well. Can he continue that trend to be an impactful scorer for Oklahoma City as he awaits his jump shot to find him again?

Game Information

Date: Dec. 29
Matchup: OKC Thunder (27-5) vs. Atlanta Hawks (15-18)
Time: 07:00 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center –– Oklahoma City, OK
TV: FanDuel Sports OK
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping to build on the momentum captured after rebounding from their two-game losing streak with as many straight wins. The OKC Thunder should be able to take advantage of a middling at best Portland squad, dealing with injuries, to close this home stand strong.

Up next, the Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the Golden State Warriors on Friday in the Bay Area, which tips off not just the new year for the Bricktown Ballers but a two-game road trip for the Thunder wrapping up on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns. This is a tough part of the Thunder season as the team will not see two straight off days until Jan. 30 and Jan. 31, with a month straight of playing at least every other night.

Stay tuned to Thunder on SI for complete coverage of the Oklahoma City Thunder's 2025-26 campaign as the Bricktown Ballers attempt to become back-to-back Champions, the NBA's first since the 2018 Golden State Warriors.