Thunder: Schedule about to even up

I like to scan the NBA standings every day. All kinds of good stuff in there.

Today, I focused on the schedules. The Thunder is 20-10. That’s 30 games. Half have been at the Ford Center (10-5) and half have been on the road.

With four straight home games coming up — Denver (Saturday), Dallas (Monday), New Jersey (Wednesday) and Atlanta (Jan. 31) — the Thunder is in position to make a move, thought that’s certainly three quality teams in the Nuggets, Mavs and Hawks.

Anyway, I decided to check out how balanced the schedules have been. And in the Western Conference, the Thunder has had the tougher go of it, at least as far as road games.

San Antonio is 25-3; the Spurs have played 18 home games and just 10 road games. Dallas is 23-5; the Mavs have played 17 home games and just 11 road games. Utah is 21-9; the Jazz have played 16 home games and 14 road games.Denver is 16-11; the Nuggets have played 14 home games and 13 road games. New Orleans is 17-12; the Hornets have played 15 home games and 14 road games.

Only the 21-8 Lakers (13 home, 16 road) have played more road games than home games. So the Thunder, right now the No. 5 seed in the West but just 11/2 games out of third, is more than holding serve.

Of course, having home games is great only if you win them. The Thunder, continuing a 2009-10 trend, plays about as well on the road as it does at home. The Thunder is 10-5 both home and road.