Regular Season Could Have Less Importance for OKC Thunder Next Season

The Thunder's home-court advantage wasn't enough this season, and it may not be worth fighting too hard for in 2027.

April 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watches game action against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City’s season ended on its home court, and that loss could shift how it approaches next season.

Going into the 2026-27 season, the Thunder roster will look different, but the main core will likely remain intact and be ready for another run at the NBA title. Over the past two years, the Thunder have had one of the most dominant stretches in league history, winning 132 games and securing the franchise’s first championship.

While the Thunder’s postseason run was clouded by their injury issues that also plagued them in the regular season, they still had an opportunity to get back to the NBA Finals with a Game 7 in Paycom Center against the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs, who were on the Thunder’s heels throughout the final weeks of the season, managed to punch their ticket to the Finals in a place that had never seen the home team lose a Game 7.

Although having home-court advantage in a Game 7 will still be a goal for the Thunder, it matters less than ever after the result of the conference finals. It’s clear that the Thunder believe they would’ve been back in the Finals if they were healthy, and that could easily be the case, given how Oklahoma City went seven games with a 62-win squad at full strength.

Considering this Thunder core has now been through three postseason runs, their experience should only help them get back to the Finals in 2027, and this team also showed some growth in their ability to win on the road. Given the landscape of the Western Conference, the Thunder’s only challenger in 2027 will again be the Spurs, barring any blockbuster trade that shakes things up for another team in the conference.

That should remain the case in the regular season as well. The Thunder’s floor in the standings will almost certainly be the No. 2 seed, and they shouldn’t be too concerned if that’s where they end up.

Although the Thunder clearly pushed themselves for the top seed in 2026, and likely will again if it’s there for the taking in April next season, prioritizing health over everything will be key. Sacrificing regular season games to ensure players are better rested for the postseason has been done by many contenders over the past decade, and the Thunder should be willing to follow suit.

Considering how Oklahoma City had no issues staying afloat when its three main ball handlers were out for weeks in February, prioritizing health may not even mean sacrificing wins. Home-court advantage is as weak as ever in this era of the NBA, as evidenced by the Thunder’s loss to the Spurs, and going all-out for regular season wins may not be the best recipe for success in Oklahoma City going into 2027.