As the NBA offseason enters its final weeks, the 2026-27 regular season is right around the corner. Soon, teams across the league will prepare for the seven-month marathon that revolves around either playing games or traveling on a nightly basis.
For another year, the Oklahoma City Thunder enter the regular season as an NBA main character. They're universally viewed as the co-title favorite — alongside the San Antonio Spurs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-time MVP winner; Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are each proven All-NBA talents.
All that said, it shouldn't be a shocker to see the Thunder with the fifth-most national TV appearances at 34. Only the New York Knicks, Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers have more at a maximum
of 34 apiece. OKC will be front and center of the NBA universe.
One matchup that'll have plenty of eyes on it is the Thunder and the Celtics. They will face each other twice in the 2026-27 regular season. Both on national TV. The first will take place in OKC on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 8:30 p.m. CT. That will be shown on ESPN. The second at Boston on Friday, Mar. 12, at 6:30 p.m. CT. That will be shown on Amazon Prime.
For nearly two decades, the Thunder and Celtics have been heavyweights. Always in the title conversation, Boston captured the 2024 NBA championship and OKC the 2025 NBA championship. Gilgeous-Alexander remains one of the league's best players. He always gets up for their primetime slots against the Celtics.
And the Celtics will be one of the more interesting teams to follow. After nine seasons together, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown went their separate ways. Boston is banking on Tatum to return to his All-NBA level after returning from a torn Achilles tendon late last season. The rest of the roster will try to figure out how to replace Brown's production after he was part of a blockbuster deal this summer that also involved Paul George.
How the Thunder look against the Celtics will always matter. It's an evergreen NBA Finals preview matchup. Until proven otherwise, Boston should remain in the title picture. Even if it's no longer the sure-fire contender it previously was in the last decade with the Tatum-Brown duo leading the way.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: When will OKC Thunder play Celtics in 2026-27 regular season?
