As the Eastern Conference finals shift from New York’s Madison Square Garden to Indiana’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Paycom Center in downtown Oklahoma City lies in simmering wait, building to a boil ahead of a forecasted eruption Thursday in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Thunder’s cozy home has been a cauldron of doom for visitors this season. Especially in these playoffs. While home-court advantage might be subsiding elsewhere, in Oklahoma City it’s still very much a thing.
“We obviously have the best fans in the world, so that helps,” said Jalen Williams, prompting a chorus of barks, after the Thunder won the West.
The Thunder went 35-6 at home in the regular season. OKC is 8-1 at home in the playoffs — compared to 4-3 on the road — with the only home loss coming on Aaron Gordon’s 3-pointer in Game 1 of the Denver series.
Seven times the Thunder has lost at home in a season that started seven months ago. That home-court advantage is just another reason why the Thunder will enter the Finals as the prohibitive favorite over either the Pacers or Knicks.
Pre-order book on Thunder’s journey to NBA Finals
The Thunder’s net rating in nine playoff home games is 24.7 — meaning OKC has outscored opponents by 24.7 points per 100 possessions. In seven playoff road games, the Thunder has a -6.2 net rating. That 30.9-point difference between the Thunder’s postseason home and road net ratings is the largest of any of the 16 playoff teams.
The Pacers have been almost as good on the road (+2.4 net rating) as they’ve been at home (+4.1) in these playoffs. The Knicks have a 3.5 net rating at home and a -2.9 net rating on the road — a 6.4 points-per-100 possessions home/road difference that doesn’t even come close to the Thunder’s polar splits.
The Thunder plays faster at home, shoots better at home and defends better at home.
OKC Thunder stats for home/road splits
Thunder home offensive rating: 121.8 points per 100 possessions
Thunder away offensive rating: 108.2 points per 100 possessions
Thunder home defensive rating: 97.2 points allowed per 100 possessions
Thunder away defensive rating: 114.4 points allowed per 100 possessions
OKC’s home/road 3-point shooting splits are especially severe.
The Thunder has shot 36.8% from three in home playoff games. On the road? A ghastly 29.6%.
- Isaiah Joe: 12-of-25 (48%) home/6-of-22 (27%) road
- Lu Dort: 24-of-66 (36%) home/7-of-36 (19%) road
- Aaron Wiggins: 10-of-26 (39%) home/5-of-21 (24%) road
- Alex Caruso: 16-of-35 (46%) home/11-of-30 (37%) road
- Chet Holmgren: 13-of-34 (38%) home/11-of-38 (29%) road
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 14-of-42 (33%) home/10-of-38 (26%) road
Jalen Williams is the outlier. He’s shooting threes at a 37% clip on the road compared to 27% at home.
In the 2-2-1-1-1 playoff format, having home court advantage basically comes down to the privilege of hosting a Game 7. In the NBA Finals, home teams are 15-4 (.789) in Game 7s.
Game 1 carries more weight than you might think, though. Teams that win Game 1 of the NBA Finals at home go on to win the Finals 78% of the time (47-13).
“Rest up this week,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault told fans, “because we need you Thursday.”
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
