The era of parity that has been a focal point of the NBA for the last six seasons might finally be coming to an end. After a new champion was crowned every year since 2019, it looks like the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be the team to buck the trend with the start they’ve had this season.
Going at a historic pace, they are already drawing comparisons to one of the greatest teams of all time, the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, which saw Stephen Curry become the only unanimous MVP in league history.
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Warriors-Like Thunder Bringing a New Dynasty to the NBA
More than a quarter of the way through the 2025-26 season, the Thunder currently have a 23-1 record. It puts them on pace for 79 wins on the year, as they seem to be showing no signs of slowing down.
Jalen Williams’ return to the lineup has allowed the team to take another step forward. The combination of an elite, deep roster and a superstar MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has powered Oklahoma City’s success.
As things currently stand, they have the best defensive rating in the league (104.2) by a wide margin. The second-ranked Houston Rockets are at 110.7, with the gap between them and the Thunder the same as the gap between them and the 23rd-ranked Chicago Bulls.
On the offensive side as well, their dominance is unmatched, as they are a top-five unit on that side of the ball. But beyond the analytical numbers, the raw results are visibly apparent, as they stand head and shoulders above the competition at 23-1.
Tied for the second-best record through 24 games for a team in NBA history, they trail the 2015-16 Warriors, who started the year 24-0, and are tied with the 1969-70 New York Knicks, who were also at 23-1.
That winning percentage is far and away the best mark in the entire league, and even with a small dip during the course of the season, a 70+ win total does not seem unreasonable for a legitimate juggernaut.
They are firmly on pace to establish a new dynasty in the league, with the deep war chest of draft capital still at general manager Sam Presti’s disposal, making it likely that they can sustain their success for a long period of time.
The only thing that could truly put a wrinkle in their operation is health, but with a roster that goes 12-deep on a regular basis, they are also better equipped than most other squads to handle any time off for their stars.