After winning the franchise's first NBA title since becoming the Oklahoma City Thunder , Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company will be targeting to defend their crown in the coming 2025-26 NBA season. While the full schedules for all teams have yet to be released, Oklahoma City at least knows when it will meet the very same team it conquered in the 2025 NBA Finals to raise the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

On Tuesday, the list of games for ESPN's Opening Week Presented by State Farm has been revealed, with the Thunder in line to lock horns with the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 23. Thursday, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

That scheduled matchup will be missing some key names from the 2025 NBA Finals matchup between the Thunder and the Pacers, mostly on the latter's side.

For one, Tyre

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