Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: A History of the Rivalry

When Do the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz Play Next?

Oklahoma City Thunder tickets and Utah Jazz tickets can be found on their respective team pages, along with schedule information.

Are the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Utah Jazz Rivals?

While the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz compete in the same division in the NBA, the two sides have only met one time in the playoffs since 2008, the year that the Thunder debuted. When the franchise was in Seattle as the SuperSonics, the two teams met in the postseason multiple times in the 1990s, building up their rivalry.

Who Are the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Biggest Rivals?

Because they have only been in Kansas City since 2008s, the Thunder haven’t built up an intense rivalry with any club yet. They have a rivalry with the Golden State Warriors because Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City to go to Golden State in 2016.

Who Are the Utah Jazz’s Biggest Rivals?

The Houston Rockets are the Jazz’s biggest rivals. This stems from numerous playoff matchups in the early to mid-1990s when Karl Malone and John Stockton were leading Utah against Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. They battled in the 1994 Western Conference Finals where the Rockets won en route to the NBA Championship. After the Rockets won in the first round in the 1995 playoffs, the Jazz won the next two postseason series between the teams in the 1997 WCF and 1998 First Round. The rivalry was renewed in 2007 and 2008 when the Jazz knocked the Rockets out in the First Round both times. But the Rockets have the most recent success with playoff wins in 2018 and 2019.

Game Results Between the Jazz & Thunder

The first meeting this season happened on December 11 in Oklahoma City. The Jazz will host games on January 18, 2024 and February 6, 2024. The season series wraps on March 20 in OKC.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz History

The Jazz vs. Thunder history is made up mostly of moments prior to 2008 when the Thunder were in Seattle as the SuperSonics. Both franchises have been in the Western Conference since the Jazz moved from New Orleans in 1979. The first time the squads met in the postseason was in the 1992 Western Conference Semifinals. The Jazz won the first time around but the next season the Supersonics got revenge with a First Round win.

The Jazz and Supersonics met again in the 1996 Western Conference Finals. Led by Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, the Supersonics edged the Jazz in seven games to advance to the NBA Finals. In 2000, the teams met for the last time in the playoffs while the franchise was in Seattle with Utah winning the First Round series in five games. In 2004, the teams were moved into the same division, the Northwest Division.

Once the Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City, the franchises only crossed paths once in the postseason — the 2018 First Round when the fifth-seeded Jazz, led by Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert upset the fourth-seeded Thunder.

Where Do the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder Play?

The Utah Jazz play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Delta Center has been used for concerts, figure skating, UFC, and more.

The Oklahoma City Thunder play at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Paycom Center also hosts the Oklahoma City G League team.