Getty
SGA and the Thunder are off to a historic start to the 2025 season
The reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder have been virtually unstoppable to begin the 2025-26 season.
The Western Conference-leading Thunder have won 13 straight games — the second-longest win streak in franchise history — and have suffered just one loss this season.
Given their torrid start to the season, Oklahoma City could have their sights set on more than just a championship repeat, as the Warriors’ 73-win regular season record could also be within reach.
Following their 124-112 win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, in which Oklahoma City became the fourth team in NBA history to win 21 of their first 22 games, Golden State players and and coaches weighed in of if Oklahoma City can surpass their 73-win record.
The Thunder are the 4th team in NBA history to win 21 of their first 22 games 🤯
Can anyone stop OKC from getting their 2nd title? 😳
Though the current Warriors squad is not as good as the 2015-16 version that finished with a 73-9 record, there are still notable carryovers from that historic squad. Four-time champions Steph Curry and Draymond Green know what it takes to chase history in that form, but perhaps nobody is more qualified to speak to the Thunder’s odds of setting a new win record than Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
Kerr not only spearheaded the Warriors 73-win squad, but he was also the second-unit spark plug on the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team that went 72-10 and began a three-peat. It’s unclear if chasing the record is a goal for the defending champions, but Kerr believes they can do it.
“Overall, (it takes) a team mindset of zero agendas — just win every night,” Kerr said before tipoff. “Obviously (it takes) great talent. But I think (it’s also) high IQ from players. The two teams that you’re referring to that I was part of (the Bulls and Warriors) both had really, really high IQs — individually and as a team. That’s what I see in OKC. Really, really smart players. A great coach (in Mark Daigneault). Really connected.
“Yeah, they’re on pace to shatter the record. It’s pretty remarkable what they’re doing.”
Outspoken forward Draymond Green echoed his coach’s sentiments, stating that chasing the record is a grueling process, but one the Thunder are equipped for.
“It’s hard, man, but I do think they’re capable,” Green told The Athletic insider Sam Amick. “You just need so many things to go right, though — from health, (although) they kind of plow right through health (issues), so it don’t matter, it seems. You need a lot of breaks to go your way, but they’re on the right track.
“I think 73 wins took some years off my life. But like I said, they’re capable of a lot.”
Oklahoma City Still Hasn’t Reached Their Peak This Season
OKC Thunder are atop the Western Conference and growing stronger
There is still quite a ways to go in the 2025-26 NBA season, but the run Oklahoma City is on to begin the season is nothing short of incredible.
Currently, the Thunder boast an average margin of victory of 15.3 points, which would be the best mark in NBA history should they sustain that pace.
Again, they haven’t just been winning games, they’ve been dominating their competition. So much so that MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander often sits out in the fourth quarter as his team closes out wins.
Impressively, Oklahoma City has blitzed to a league-best 21 wins largely without All-NBA forward Jalen Williams, who is still ramping up from his return. Williams, who earned his first All-Star selection last season while serving as OKC’s second-most productive player (21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals), has only played in three games after having offseason wrist surgery. With him back in the fold, the Thunder could kick into a new gear — one that may propel them to break the 73-win record.
Jalyn Smoot Jalyn Smoot is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has nearly 10 years of experience in local and national media, including print and digital. He previously covered the Texas Rangers for MLB.com and the Philadelphia 76ers for Metro Philadelphia. Smoot is a St. Louis born writer that now resides in Dallas. More about Jalyn Smoot
More Heavy on Warriors
Loading more stories