Last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder had 27 nationally televised games. The team also had two superstars in Russell Westbrook and Paul George, both of whom were traded during free agency. Jerami Grant also was traded.
Now, the Thunder’s top players are Chris Paul, Steven Adams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari. A respectable group, but not one the league is necessarily itching to showcase.
In 2019-20, the Thunder will have only three nationally televised games. The first comes on TNT when Westbrook returns to Oklahoma City on Jan. 9. ESPN has the Thunder twice: once on Feb. 21 when Grant and the Denver Nuggets visit Chesapeake Bay Arena and on Feb. 28 when the Thunder visit Milwaukee to face the Bucks.
Nine of Oklahoma City’s games will also be featured on NBA TV.
The Thunder will not play on Christmas Day for the first time since 2009 but they do face the Dallas Mavericks on New Year’s Eve for the third time in as many seasons.
Oklahoma City will play on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 20), when the Thunder visit the Rockets.
