The Thunder have tied the best 25-game start in NBA history, and the reigning champs are annihilating the competition (Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)
The Golden State Warriors felt the skepticism that followed their first NBA championship. Critics focused on injuries suffered by opponents and questioned whether that team was truly dominant. While few outright dismissed the title, it was never universally accepted that the Warriors were clearly the league’s best. That doubt lingered, and the Warriors heard all of it.
They were reminded often that they had fallen into a 2-1 hole against Memphis in the second round and that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love played just one game combined in the Finals. Rather than ignore the noise, Golden State used it as motivation, unleashing a historic response the following season. The result was a 24-1 start and an NBA-record 73 wins in 2015-16.
Now, the Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves in a strikingly similar position. After pushing past Denver in seven games and benefitting from Tyrese Haliburton’s blown Achilles in Game 7 of the Finals, as noted in Michael Pina’s recent piece for The Ringer, some questioned whether Oklahoma City was truly the league’s best team. The Thunder have answered that question emphatically. There has been no championship hangover and no easing off the gas. Instead, they have punished nearly everyone in their path.
Their most recent statement came Wednesday night, when they handed the Phoenix Suns a 49-point loss in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, the worst defeat in Suns franchise history. That win pushed Oklahoma City’s record to 24-1, matching the early pace set by those Warriors teams that rewrote history.
The similarities extend beyond the win-loss column. Oklahoma City entered that game outscoring opponents by 15.9 points per 100 possessions, already flirting with an all-time mark. After dismantling Phoenix, that number climbed even higher. Through 25 games, the Thunder have a staggering plus-439 point differential, the largest ever at that stage of a season by a wide margin, per PBP Stats.
| TEAM | SEASON | POINT DIFFERENTIAL |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 2025-26 | +439 |
| Boston Celtics | 1967-68 | +380 |
| Golden State Warriors | 2017-18 | +375 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 1972-73 | +367 |
| New York Knicks | 1970-71 | +358 |
Last season, Oklahoma City posted the best net rating in NBA history at plus-12.9. This year, they have blown past their own standard, sitting at an almost absurd plus-17.5. They have spent an extraordinary portion of the season playing with massive leads, often putting games away before halftime.
At the center of it all is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been nothing short of dominant. He leads the league in clutch points despite rarely needing to play full fourth quarters. Even more alarming for opponents, the Thunder continue to overwhelm teams even when he is off the floor.
With elite offense, historically great defense, and depth that cushions almost any setback, Oklahoma City is beginning to make the unthinkable feel realistic. Golden State’s once-untouchable benchmark no longer feels safe. The question is no longer whether the Thunder are great, but whether anyone can slow them down often enough to stop history from repeating itself.
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