The Oklahoma City Thunder traded franchise icon Russell Westbrook in July 2019, a date that will forever be etched in franchise history — the closing of one electric chapter in the organization’s history and the beginning of another.
With the OKC Thunder coming off a 57-win season, the team is projected to be the best in the Western Conference, picked by almost every expert and even Vegas to reach the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics who hoisted the 2023-24 Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Despite Westbrook being in the rearview mirror — and the future Hall of Fame point guard preparing to play for the sixth team of his career — his return is still a key date on the Bricktown calendar. The reception is always loud and warm.
However, when he comes to town with the Denver Nuggets, it represents a pair of unusual circumstances. Oklahoma City will host its division opponents on March 4 and 5 for the final two games of the season series that begins on opening night, Oct. 24, before their Nov. 6 date to conclude the two matchups in the Mile High City.
However, the March rematch in Oklahoma City gives each team two extremely important games in the tight Western Conference standings on dead legs and even with dramatic time differences, with the first game of the back-to-back series starting at noon and the second game at 7 p.m. local time.
Any time these two teams face off it’s must-see TV, any time Westbrook returns to Oklahoma City it’s big, but this unusual matchup against the other Western Conference contenders could decide who takes the top seed in the West.
Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the cover.
