The Oklahoma City Thunder will not be on national TV for a third consecutive season.
The NBA announced on Wednesday that the Orlando Magic vs. Thunder game on Nov. 1 will no longer air on TNT. It is being replaced by the Chicago Bulls–Brooklyn Nets game on the same day.
This is unfortunate news. The Thunder — sans NBATV games — have not appeared on national television since the 2020 NBA playoffs.
The league likely decided to pull the plug on airing the Thunder game after Chet Holmgren was ruled out for the 2022-23 season as he rehabs a Lisfranc injury.
The game lost its spark with the injury because it is no longer a matchup between No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero and No. 2 pick Holmgren.