The Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2025–26 campaign has been painted with the colors of their finest fantasies. After dominating the 2024–25 season and winning the NBA trophy, the Thunder’s performance this season has been nothing short of impressive. With only two games remaining, the defending champions are leading the Western Conference with a 64-16 record.
After defeating the LA Clippers 128-110 on Wednesday night at the Intuit Dome, the Thunder have unlocked a record that was only reserved for the best in the NBA’s history. With the victory over the Clippers, OKC has now finished three consecutive seasons as the No. 1 seed in the West, officially cementing its status as a modern NBA dynasty.
How the Oklahoma City Thunder Reached a Rare Level of Consistency
According to ESPN Research, since the league adopted the 16-team playoff format in the 1983–84 season, only five teams have sustained conference dominance for three consecutive seasons. After leading a remarkable campaign that showcased their desire to defend the title, the Thunder entered this list as the sixth team since the format change to reach this record.
Before the Thunder, only the Boston Celtics (1984–1988), LA Lakers (1984–1990), Chicago Bulls (1996–1998), LA Lakers (2008–2010), and Golden State Warriors (2015–2017) were the exclusive members of this club.
For the last three seasons, the Thunder have maintained absolute control in the Western Conference, where there’s no lack of heavy hitters. They finished the 2023–24 season with 57-25, the 2024–25 season with 68-14, and are on their way to finish 66-16 if they win the next two remaining games, which shouldn’t be a problem considering their seven-game winning streak.
The 2024–25 MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, called this feat impressive. “Obviously, none of it means anything if you don’t win in the end, and you know that. But teams that win in the end have some of the same characteristics and traits and check off the same boxes,” he further added.
“So checking off those boxes is kind of just like knowing we’re headed in the right direction. Obviously, we’re far from the finish line of where we want to go, but like I said, it lets us know we’re heading right there.”
The franchise cornerstone feels the team is right on track and has ticked all the boxes. But if one looks deeper, the Thunder failed to surpass the Warriors’ 73-win record despite having 24-1 in the first 25 games.
But the positives outweigh the negatives. The Oklahoma City Thunder have the season’s best Defensive Rating (107.2) and the seventh-best Offensive Rating (119.2). The 18-point win over the Clippers was a testament to the Thunder’s balanced attack on their opponents.
The Thunder shot 48-of-83 from the field (57.8%) and 79.2% from the free-throw line (19-of-24). The Clippers also shot 40-of-86 from the field (46.5%) and 66.7% free throw efficiency.
Chet Holmgren emerged as the highest scorer of the night for the Thunder with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists on 10-of-13 field shooting and 7-of-10 from the charity stripe. Gilgeous-Alexander also contributed with 20 points and 11 assists on 9-of-17 from the field and 2-of-6 from beyond the arc.
For the Oklahoma City Thunder, the regular season target is complete, and now the focus shifts to the upcoming playoffs, where they’ll hope to replicate their current success.
