When the powers that be sat down to select four teams to feature for 2018-19 NBA opening night logically the would include two Eastern and two Western Conference teams. Moreover, the reigning champion Golden State Warriors would fill one spot. For the east, it also made sense to tap the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers given the departure of LeBron James to the Lakers. This left one spot to be filled and the OKC Thunder were the natural selection competing likely with just the Houston Rockets as the other option.
If we consider the brain trust’s thought process they wanted to kick off the season with a bang.