For the casual NBA fan, the fourth quarter of an OKC Thunder game is when the channel gets changed.
Those final 12 minutes are often a formality for one of the most dominant teams in NBA history, which boasts a record-setting point differential of 17.4 this season. And that was the case again Wednesday, as OKC coasted to a 138-89 home win over the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
But the Thunder’s starters never tuned out. Their eyes remained glued to the court as they watched from the bench, celebrating each bucket their teammates got down the stretch.
There’s no boredom in beatdowns for the Thunder, which hasn’t forgotten when it was on the receiving end of nights like Wednesday. It still holds the record for the largest loss in NBA history, a 73-point mauling at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 2, 2021.
Nowadays, OKC is making history in all of the good ways. It improved to 24-1 with its win over Phoenix, tying the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors for the best record through the first 25 games. And it’s savoring every second, including the final ones of a blowout win.
“Winning is never boring,” Thunder forward Jalen Williams said. “Because there was a time when some players on our team were getting blown out. I’m not going to name names, but we lost by 70. So I think a lot of guys have that in the back of their mind.”
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Williams doesn’t have to name names when it comes to that historic loss to Memphis.
The only current OKC player who suited up in that game was Lu Dort. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (concussion protocol) and Kenrich Williams (sprained right ankle) were out due to injuries.
OKC went 24-58 (.293) during that 2021-22 season. It’s the worst win percentage throughout the franchise’s 18-year history. And those low points have only made the view from the NBA’s mountaintop even better.
“It means a lot,” Dort said. “We’ve had some tough days here, and it just shows it’s a buildup. You’ve got to really trust the process. It was a full-time commitment. I give a lot of credit to the organization in general to be able to put that type of team together. It’s amazing to be a part of it. I’m glad that I was here in the bad days, and now I can see the better days.”
Chet Holmgren hasn’t experienced a ton of losing since he joined OKC.
His first season of playing was in 2023-24, when the Thunder went 57-25 and became the youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history for either conference. OKC then went 68-14 last season, tying for the sixth-best record of all-time, and it won its first-ever championship.
But that hasn’t prevented Holmgren from appreciating his current surroundings. Neither did the wrap-around Saint Laurent sunglasses he wore in his postgame media availability, equipped with side panels that blocked his peripheral vision.
“Obviously the storyline is the success and the record that we accomplished tonight, I guess,” Holmgren said. “But to me, it’s more about really enjoying this with the group of people that we have. You don’t want to get so caught up in everything that it takes to do it that you lose sight of how special of a team this is and how special the people we have around it are.
“I just want to be present. I don’t want to get caught up in it and then realize where we were when we’re not there anymore.”
That ability to be present isn’t just OKC’s key to enjoying its success. It’s the whole reason it’s successful in the first place.
Despite downing bottles of Marie de Moy Brut champagne for the first time following its title in June, there’s been no championship hangover for the young Thunder. And despite being leagues ahead of the competition this season, there’s been no overlooking opponents.
Its only focus is on its current challenge, a semifinals matchup against San Antonio at 8 p.m. Saturday in Las Vegas.
“We have to understand that anything in the past takes you out of the present moment,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “Anything in the future takes you out of the present moment. The game and the competition happen in the present moment. So the championship is great, but if we’re thinking about it then it’s a distraction. And what we have ahead of us is exciting, but if we’re thinking about that then it’s a distraction.”
OKC certainly didn’t look like a distracted team Wednesday. It was focused on playing its brand of basketball.
OKC showcased an impressive level of unselfishness on offense, which started with Gilgeous-Alexander. It’d be easy for the reigning MVP to play like the basketball world revolves around him, but he instead allowed his teammates to star in their roles. He dished out eight of the Thunder’s 32 assists.
OKC also swarmed Phoenix defensively, pestering its players on the perimeter and punishing those who got too close to the hive. Its main enforcer was Holmgren, who swatted three shots in only 25 minutes.
Those staples in the Thunder’s game allowed it to piece together a dominant win, which can be added to its binder of blowouts. OKC has now led by at least 20 points for 264 minutes and 17 seconds this season, according to ESPN research producer Matt Williams. It has only trailed for 249 minutes and 53 seconds.
That might not make for the best TV down the stretch, but OKC’s starters don’t mind. They’re enjoying their front row seat to history in the making, and the show is just getting started.
“Down the road in a couple of years, this team is going to be remembered,” Dort said. “It’s amazing being a part of this group, seeing those guys every day and going to battle with those guys. I’m trying to stay grounded, and we’ve still got way more to show.”
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
NBA Cup semifinals
Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas:
Game 1: Knicks vs. Magic, 4:30 p.m., PRIME
Game 2: Thunder vs. Spurs, 8 p.m., PRIME