Oklahoma City Thunder

Paycom Center holds around 18,200 and by most measures it produces the most noise per square foot of any building in the NBA. Oklahoma City has only had an NBA team since 2008 but the city adopted the Thunder with a completeness that franchise-relocation situations rarely achieve. The fan base is enormous relative to the market size and they show up every game regardless of the standings, which is why Paycom Center has a home-court advantage that teams significantly larger markets cannot manufacture.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has made OKC one of the most interesting watch in the NBA. The Thunder build on pace, spacing, and SGA's ability to get to the rim from anywhere on the floor. The roster is young, deep, and built around assets that give the front office options - which means the Thunder are one of those teams you want to see now, before they become inevitable.

Bricktown is the pre-game destination - it is a short walk or rideshare from Paycom Center and the canal district has a good density of bars and restaurants for before and after games. Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse on Mickey Mantle Drive for pre-game is the upscale call; the Bricktown Brewery on the canal is the more casual move. Automobile Alley north of downtown has the newer restaurant and bar scene if you want to explore a bit further.

Oklahoma City does not get enough national credit for what the Thunder have built here. The combination of the arena atmosphere, the team's current trajectory, and the city's genuine investment in the franchise makes this one of the better game-night experiences in the West.

Find Oklahoma City Thunder tickets on Evil Tickets - the loudest arena in a small market is the right answer to "where should I see a game this season."