‘It’s Very Boring’: OKC Thunder Tie Warriors’ Record, Fueling Debate on 73 Wins and Dynasty Talk

The NBA season is barely underway, yet the Oklahoma City Thunder have already turned the league’s competitive landscape into a one-sided discussion. Following a decisive 138-89 blowout victory, the Thunder matched the historic 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors with the best 25-game start to an NBA season, sitting at a staggering 24-1.

The sheer dominance of the team has prompted passionate takes from analysts, with Stephen A. Smith declaring his concern that the Thunder are “on the verge of making this season… very, very boring.” He went further, confidently asserting that barring catastrophic injuries, “They’re winning 73 games this year.”

An Unstoppable Force: The Perfect Team

The Thunder’s start is not just about wins; it is about absolute control. They are described as a “juggernaut on both ends of the floor” and a “coach’s dream”—a team so disciplined and committed to winning that their focus is unwavering.

Their supremacy is highlighted by several key metrics:

• Point Differential: Last season’s point differential was +12; this season, it stands at an unprecedented +17. They are not just winning; they are “dominating teams” and “blowing teams out.”

• Efficiency and Load Management: They often put games away so early that their stars, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), are effectively load managing by the third quarter. In their most recent 50-point win, SGA played just 26 minutes, demonstrating that their deep roster allows them to dominate without overworking their key players.

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: SGA is universally praised as “that dude,” and while they rely heavily on him for scoring (predicting 30 points and 25-30 attempts nightly), the analysts agree this is a successful “pedigree” rather than a weakness.

The lone blemish on their record is a two-point loss on the road at Portland on the second night of a back-to-back, a loss that occurred while several key players were out of the lineup.

The Only Threat: Injury

When pressed on what could stop the Thunder, the consensus among analysts was definitive: the only threat is the “injury bug.” They do not believe self-sabotage is an issue due to the team’s discipline and chemistry, and they cannot point to another team capable of derailing the run.

While the schedule presents potential challenges—including three games against the Spurs in 10 days, a matchup against the Timberwolves, and potential trap games against the Sixers or Hawks—the analysts feel that if the Thunder “continue to pave your way and play the way that they’re playing,” they are not worried about any single game.

One seemingly critical statistic is their ranking as 15th in rebounding. However, this is quickly dismissed as “misleading” because the Thunder have such a high volume of makes that there simply are “not a lot to rebound.”

Setting the Rivalry Stage: OKC vs. The Celtics

The discussion pivoted to a hot take from Paul Pierce, who suggested the Boston Celtics are the only team capable of standing in front of OKC and “derailing their dynasty over the next five years.”

The hosts acknowledged that the potential return of Jason Tatum from an Achilles injury would significantly change the Celtics’ season trajectory. However, they expressed skepticism about the current state of the Celtics, noting the team’s identity has changed with the departures of players like Drew Holiday and Al Horford.

While praising the Celtics’ ability to play well despite the changes, the general sentiment was that Boston is not currently the clear-cut favorite in the East, and when compared to the Thunder’s flawless machine, “I don’t even think it’s close.” The prediction was a decisive Thunder victory in a potential Finals matchup, with a consensus of the series ending in five, or possibly even four, games.