Yes, the Oklahoma City Thunder has home-court advantage outright and will play the majority of its playoff games at home. Still, it must take full advantage of this opportunity to perform on the road.
The key to another successful Thunder playoff run could be utilizing the growth from last postseason.
The Thunder now goes on the road for the first time this postseason for the third game in the first round of the playoffs, with OKC leading 2-0. Oklahoma City took care of business at home, dominating Game 1 — winning by 35, then once again winning convincingly in Game 2 — winning by 13. Oklahoma City will be looking to keep the momentum going by taking a commanding 3-0 lead as the series shifts to Phoenix.Â
Road Performance Is Key for OKC
Game 3 is a big opportunity for Oklahoma City to take the life out of Phoenix, as no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit, and it will also be another chance for the Thunder to take a step forward as a road team. Oklahoma City persevered through a lot of adversity all season to be the No. 1 seed, and now they will have the reward of home-court advantage in every playoff series.Â
While this reward was a major benefaction for last year’s Thunder team, the same can be said for this year’s Thunder team. This shouldn’t be taken for granted, and Oklahoma City must make sure they use it to its advantage. They also have to perform better on the road this time around.
Oklahoma City dominated the regular season last year as well, finishing a franchise-best 68-14 and claiming the No. 1 seed outright in the playoffs. However, if there’s an area for improvement for the Thunder, it’s their road performance. They were underwhelming on the road, going 5-5 away from home, including losing twice in blowout fashion to the Wolves (a 43-point loss in Game 3 of the Conference Finals) and to the Pacers (a 36-point loss in Game 6 of the Finals). On the flip side, OKC won two crucial road games, both Game 4s in the Denver and Indiana series, which ultimately propelled them to win both series in seven games.
An area to monitor is OKC's performance on the roadHome/Road Splits during 2025 PlayoffsHome: 11-2 Record. 120.2 ORTG, 100.2 DRTG, 120.5 PPG, 47.1% FG%, 36.6% 3P%, 11.1 TOV, +19.9 plus-minusRoad: 5-5 Record. 106.7 ORTG, 112.9 DRTG, 107.2 PPG, 43.7% FG%, 29.9% 3P%, 14 TOV, -6.7 plus-minus
The Thunder would, of course, go on to capture their first championship in franchise history last year.Â
The Thunder were dominant on the road, with an 118.1 ORTG and 107.3 DRTG, averaging 119.2 points, and outscoring opponents by +10.8.
This dominance on the road is something the Thunder hope will translate in this postseason, and they have shown signs that it can in the regular season. Oklahoma City was a league-best 30-10 on the road this year.
This record is fueled by the talent, depth, experience, cohesiveness, and discipline from this group, which showed up night after night, preparing them for this postseason.
It’s a reason why it’s so difficult to win on the road in the postseason, which Oklahoma City has come to understand during its past two playoff runs. The Thunder will have to make every opportunity count. Saturday’s game is the next opportunity Oklahoma City has to do so, and it is in a primed position to make quick work of the first round for a third consecutive postseason.
With the postseason being such a gauntlet and so grueling, you must take advantage when the opportunity presents itself. For Oklahoma City, that’s showing its championship pedigree by performing on the road.
Main Image: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
