All eyes in the NBA were on OKC for a back-to-back this past week. The Oklahoma City Thunder have looked every part of a reigning NBA champion that has its eyes set on back-to-back titles. They have the league’s best record and point differential once again.

But how would the Thunder look against the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers? Two teams many believe can challenge them for the NBA’s throne. Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic are the type of superstars every team dreads to play against.

Well, if the Thunder had hoped to send a message, consider it mission accomplished. Back-to-back blowout wins over Golden State and Los Angeles by a combined 53 points showed the two veteran groups that there are levels to this whole title contender business.

Always playing it cool, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander apparently had some bulletin board material. After Gilbert Arenas recently said that Doncic is still ahead of him in the all-time rankings because of his longer track record, he warned his podcast co-host about their ESPN matchup.

With a hint of sorrow in his voice, Nick Young revealed that Gilgeous-Alexander texted him to tune into the Thunder’s matchup against the Lakers. Like Nostradamus, he felt superbly confident that OKC — even without Jalen Williams — would demoralize Los Angeles’ hot start to the season.

“Shai DM’d and told me, ‘Watch tonight. Imma show y’all.’ Because he was watching that day when you was saying Luka and comparing all their All-NBA teams. Like f–k Shai type, you know? Took one year just to catch up,” Young said. “He said, ‘Watch tonight.’ It was an a– whooping.”

The Thunder humiliated the Lakers in front of a national audience. They showed every pundit just how wide the gap is between the two teams. And it’s difficult to believe a 41-year-old LeBron James will make up a big enough difference to flip that. Even Young begrudgingly said so himself.

“There’s no comparison to who’s the best team, who’s the best player in the NBA right now, who’s playing with the most confidence, who’s playing on another level,” Young said. “It’s OKC, man. It’s Shai. There’s nothing you can do to stop that man. No double-teams. An off night, he’s still going to win. On night, they winning by 50.”

It’s still November, so there’s still a lot of time left in the NBA’s marathon. But the Thunder look even better than last season’s historic 68-14 record with an all-time point differential. No such thing as taking things easy, even when you’re at the top.

Nick Young: “Shai DM’d and told me, ‘Watch tonight. Imma show y’all.’ Because he was watching that day when you was saying Luka and comparing all their All-NBA teams… It was an ass whooping.”
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— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) November 16, 2025