This is pretty cool. Is the Houston rivalry really a “secondary “ rival tho
crustydemonburgers
I mean I think it’s Portland and Houston that we have beef with but they both trash compared to us so it probs doesn’t count as a rivalry at this point
BBallHunter
Not really. It’s just Reddit and only a fraction. The teams don’t care.
504090
I would say the rivalry is dead at this point. It was never really a deep-seeded rivalry, 90% of it was Rockets fans being pissy about Westbrook’s MVP.
Minnesota and Memphis have better potential of being our rivals within the next 1-2 years.
A_A_Smoot
The rockets are our secondary rival, the primary rival is the Rockets’ fan base
Trapivist
timberwolves prolly our main “beef” rn
MikeGundy
From another thread:
“They were the team that James Harden got traded to and blossomed
They were the team that had Patrick Beverley blow Westbrook’s knee in 2013
They were the team that had the other close MVP candidate in 2017 that still spur discussions, also first round opponent
They were the team that swapped our GOAT with their disgruntled point guard and somehow our Cinderella story ran into them first round 2020
We kept pushing that we almost had their top 5 pick in 2021 draft and when that didn’t happen, they shot back.
Also, our two rookies were the highlight rivalry of the Western Conference ROTM race. Does not help that Giddey got second team while Green got first team.
We were competitive at the same time and somehow tanking at the same time
Also same division conference, so we play them A LOT”
That said, when Seattle probably gets an expansion team, they will be competing hard to be our #1 rival. If you need an explanation for that just go to the Super Sonics subreddit😂
No_Armadillo_3491
i fucking hate the Rockets, personally
SandyMandy17
I do
Internal-Estate-553
I would really say I dislike GSW and TBlazers more than the rockets
CredibleSloth
Are you new here?
tayroarsmash
I feel like rivalries in professional sports are based on context in change over time except for division rivals in the nfl.
Zeeron1
Nah. 5 years from now our rivalries will be the Spurs and Supersonics
Razorback_Thunder
This map is wild. Apparently a third of the league considers Boston a rival. So many one-way rivalries. Apparently Washington’s secondary rival (after Boston of course) is Washington.
Xeerohour
For me it’s Warriors first, Rockets second, Grizzlies third.
Most of these date back to KD/Russ squads. When Harden initially went to the rockets they actually became my second team. But when it was Russ vs Harden for MVPs and it became a national discourse about how the thunder “kept the wrong MVP”, I really soured on them. There’s been a lot of stuff since then, documented well in other places in this thread.
However for me GSW is first. They beat us in ’16. They poached Durant. Dray is an asshole. Every time the Thunder play them it feels like an event.
Grizz dates back to ZBo vs Perk. But they’re relatively close to us in age, team lifecycle, geographic location, city size, and they just feel like a natural rival to me.
v4xN0s
My hate:
Primary – gsw/portland
Secondary – rockets/sonics fans
AngryTurtleGaming
I’d say now it’s the Spurs and Warriors
burnerbabyburns
Lol and Rockets fans love to claim they don’t care about the Thunder
rushyt21
I’d say which team someone thinks we’re rivals with shows what era they became a Thunder fan.
2008 was still probably Portland just as a holdover of where the team was taken from.
2010-2014 was the Grizzlies. Getting matched up with them in the playoffs was a nightmare because of their physicality. Geographically close enough to make that a legit rivalry.
2015-2018 was the Warriors. Majority of the league hated them but we probably hated them the most for obvious reasons.
2019-2022 was Blazers and Houston. Both faded when they became garbage teams and Dame left.
2023-present feels like new territory. Still generally don’t like Houston but not for their on-court matchup. It’s just their fans are constantly cringe. The league wants us vs Spurs but I just don’t see it— especially with how Presti’s org was built as a replica of his time with the Spurs so it’s all respect. I imagine Thunder/Wolves becomes a rivalry.
Edit to say we haven’t existed long enough to have a “true” rival and we’re too geographically isolated to have a similar rivalry to LAL/LAC, Celtics/76ers, and the Mavs/Rockets/Spurs hate triangle
Kevin_Heart_
I thought we were Switzerland. A neutral place where teams store their money and draft picks.
Go_Dawgs_23
I would say Mavs and Rockets
UGLEHBWE
I hope the wolves and thunder become a rivalry by meeting in the second round. I live in MN and if it happens, just know I’m going to war for the squad
crispytoastyum
Lol no one cares about San Antonio.
walawaka
The Wizards are their own rival😭
got_ur_goat
My beef with the Rockets…
1. Too much red 2. Pat Bev
ndnkng
Naw it’s 100% spurs from back in the golden years the duncan spurs or kobe lakers both were our playoff roadblocks till gs got their shit together.
theclassyjew
The rockets wish we cared about them like that. What a joke.
27 Comments
This is pretty cool. Is the Houston rivalry really a “secondary “ rival tho
I mean I think it’s Portland and Houston that we have beef with but they both trash compared to us so it probs doesn’t count as a rivalry at this point
Not really. It’s just Reddit and only a fraction. The teams don’t care.
I would say the rivalry is dead at this point. It was never really a deep-seeded rivalry, 90% of it was Rockets fans being pissy about Westbrook’s MVP.
Minnesota and Memphis have better potential of being our rivals within the next 1-2 years.
The rockets are our secondary rival, the primary rival is the Rockets’ fan base
timberwolves prolly our main “beef” rn
From another thread:
“They were the team that James Harden got traded to and blossomed
They were the team that had Patrick Beverley blow Westbrook’s knee in 2013
They were the team that had the other close MVP candidate in 2017 that still spur discussions, also first round opponent
They were the team that swapped our GOAT with their disgruntled point guard and somehow our Cinderella story ran into them first round 2020
We kept pushing that we almost had their top 5 pick in 2021 draft and when that didn’t happen, they shot back.
Also, our two rookies were the highlight rivalry of the Western Conference ROTM race. Does not help that Giddey got second team while Green got first team.
We were competitive at the same time and somehow tanking at the same time
Also same division conference, so we play them A LOT”
That said, when Seattle probably gets an expansion team, they will be competing hard to be our #1 rival. If you need an explanation for that just go to the Super Sonics subreddit😂
i fucking hate the Rockets, personally
I do
I would really say I dislike GSW and TBlazers more than the rockets
Are you new here?
I feel like rivalries in professional sports are based on context in change over time except for division rivals in the nfl.
Nah. 5 years from now our rivalries will be the Spurs and Supersonics
This map is wild. Apparently a third of the league considers Boston a rival. So many one-way rivalries. Apparently Washington’s secondary rival (after Boston of course) is Washington.
For me it’s Warriors first, Rockets second, Grizzlies third.
Most of these date back to KD/Russ squads. When Harden initially went to the rockets they actually became my second team. But when it was Russ vs Harden for MVPs and it became a national discourse about how the thunder “kept the wrong MVP”, I really soured on them. There’s been a lot of stuff since then, documented well in other places in this thread.
However for me GSW is first. They beat us in ’16. They poached Durant. Dray is an asshole. Every time the Thunder play them it feels like an event.
Grizz dates back to ZBo vs Perk. But they’re relatively close to us in age, team lifecycle, geographic location, city size, and they just feel like a natural rival to me.
My hate:
Primary – gsw/portland
Secondary – rockets/sonics fans
I’d say now it’s the Spurs and Warriors
Lol and Rockets fans love to claim they don’t care about the Thunder
I’d say which team someone thinks we’re rivals with shows what era they became a Thunder fan.
2008 was still probably Portland just as a holdover of where the team was taken from.
2010-2014 was the Grizzlies. Getting matched up with them in the playoffs was a nightmare because of their physicality. Geographically close enough to make that a legit rivalry.
2015-2018 was the Warriors. Majority of the league hated them but we probably hated them the most for obvious reasons.
2019-2022 was Blazers and Houston. Both faded when they became garbage teams and Dame left.
2023-present feels like new territory. Still generally don’t like Houston but not for their on-court matchup. It’s just their fans are constantly cringe. The league wants us vs Spurs but I just don’t see it— especially with how Presti’s org was built as a replica of his time with the Spurs so it’s all respect. I imagine Thunder/Wolves becomes a rivalry.
Edit to say we haven’t existed long enough to have a “true” rival and we’re too geographically isolated to have a similar rivalry to LAL/LAC, Celtics/76ers, and the Mavs/Rockets/Spurs hate triangle
I thought we were Switzerland. A neutral place where teams store their money and draft picks.
I would say Mavs and Rockets
I hope the wolves and thunder become a rivalry by meeting in the second round. I live in MN and if it happens, just know I’m going to war for the squad
Lol no one cares about San Antonio.
The Wizards are their own rival😭
My beef with the Rockets…
1. Too much red
2. Pat Bev
Naw it’s 100% spurs from back in the golden years the duncan spurs or kobe lakers both were our playoff roadblocks till gs got their shit together.
The rockets wish we cared about them like that. What a joke.