OKC Thunder Can't Let Rust Set In Ahead of Second Round

The Thunder have to remain ready for the second round amid their lengthy break.

Apr 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watches his team play against the Phoenix Suns in the first half during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City has been waiting for a few days to find out its opponent, but it can’t let rust set in.

On Monday night, the Thunder finished off their first-round series against the Phoenix Suns, ensuring some extra rest as they await their second-round matchup. Now going into Friday night, the Thunder are still unsure who their opponent will be and may not find out until Sunday, pending the results of Game 6 in Lakers-Rockets.

With potentially over a week between the final game of the first round and Game 1 of the second round, the Thunder have had about as long a break as any team can have during the postseason. While they’re used to time off at this point, having swept the first round in 2024 and 2025 as well, this type of time off can still lead to some issues.

Of course, considering that this is the most important time of the season, it can be difficult to get into a rhythm and stay in one after having a full week off. While this is also the most grueling and physically taxing point of the season, too much rest can still be a negative.

Whether it was a matter of too much rest or simply not playing to their usual level of play, the Thunder lost multiple Game 1s last season, marking their only home losses of the postseason. Each of those matchups came after the Thunder had finished off their previous series in dominant fashion and had to wait longer than their opponent to get to Game 1. With the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers potentially in more of a rhythm entering the opening matchup of those series, they were able to steal Game 1 in Oklahoma City.

However, this Thunder team may simply be a different animal. After dealing with so many injuries throughout the season, Oklahoma City has an abundance of experience playing without a consistent rhythm.

With so many players entering and exiting the lineup on a consistent basis, the only real consistency for the Thunder all season in the rotation was inconsistency on the injury report. Ideally, the Thunder won’t have to deal with as many injury issues throughout the postseason, but that sort of constant disruption should bode well for Oklahoma City as it navigates this time off.

Regardless of how much rest the Thunder get, they’ll need to be ready for battle when Game 1 tips off next week.