The Oklahoma City Thunder are proving that last season’s championship run was no fluke. After their dominant 137–106 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on November 2 the defending champions improved their record to a flawless 7-0 to begin the 2025–26 season. Now if we see with this kind of start the Thunder have marked their name in the NBA history books once again.
What Milestone Has Been Achieved by the Oklahoma City Thunder?
It has been reported that the Thunder have become just the third team in NBA history to begin (7-0) in back-to-back seasons.
The other franchises to pull off the feat were the Houston Rockets who opened 15-0 in 1993-94 and 9-0 in 1994-95 and also the Boston Celtics who started 7-0 in 1963-64 and 11-0 in 1964-65. For a young core who are still ascending OKC’s company is as illustrious as the start is emphatic.
The OKC Thunder become the third team in NBA history to start 7-0 in back-to-back seasons 👀
OKC: ’24-25 (7-0), ’25-26 (7-0)
HOU: ’93-94 (15-0), ’94-95 (9-0)
BOS: ’63-64 (7-0), ’64-65 (11-0) https://t.co/G2n1wENFg4 pic.twitter.com/Vljyya3ta1— NBA History (@NBAHistory) November 3, 2025
What’s propelled the surge is a top-tier two-way engine powered by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren. Building on last year’s 68-14 regular-season dominance and their first championship, the pair has sharpened every edge.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the reigning MVP and scoring champion, is overwhelming opponents with 33.6 points per game while also adding 5.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks.
If we see his control of tempo and disruptive length on the perimeter has driven a turnover differential that has been described as record-setting through the early going.
Holmgren has provided the perfect counterweight up front. In 34.3 minutes per night, he has averaged 23.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals on 56.9% from the field. His rim deterrence warps shot charts, and his steady stream of double-doubles has kept Oklahoma City perched atop the defensive rating leaderboard.
Their chemistry was on full display in the latest matchup against the Pelicans. The Thunder came out firing, and they took an early 17-point lead after the first quarter and expanded it to 23 by halftime.
The second half told a similar story as Oklahoma City’s defensive intensity and fast-paced offense completely overwhelmed New Orleans. By the fourth quarter, the Thunder had built a massive 36-point advantage, which helped them to seal the game long before the final buzzer.
Next up, Oklahoma City will face the Los Angeles Clippers on November 4 and are looking to extend their perfect run to eight straight. As they continue to rewrite the record books, one thing is clear that this Thunder team isn’t just chasing wins; they’re building a legacy.