Feb. 18, 2026, 12:01 p.m. CT
As the NBA enjoys the 2026 All-Star break, the week off gives teams a chance to rest before the stretch run of the 2025-26 regular season and beyond. The Oklahoma City Thunder sit atop the NBA standings with a 42-14 record. Albeit a couple of teams are right there with them.
Despite what the record says, the Thunder have had a couple of mediocre months. After a historic 24-1 start, they’ve gone a meh 18-13. That lengthy stretch has caused some folks to cool down on their expectations that OKC could go back-to-back.
The Thunder hope the ceremonious second half of the season can be blessed with better injury luck. Of all their inconsistencies, you can pinpoint it back to that.
To get ready for the second half of the season, let’s reflect on what the Thunder have done through 56 games with the five biggest takeaways:
SGA’s MVP case
After one of the greatest individual seasons ever, Gilgeous-Alexander’s encore was always going to be a must-watch event. How could you possibly follow up on a year where you won an MVP, NBA Finals MVP and a championship ring? By looking to repeat the same trifecta of feats. So far, he looks like he’ll cross off at least one of those soon.
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The third part of the Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic epic trilogy will end in a whimper. The latter’s month-long absence with a knee injury has put him behind an insurmountable deficit. Even if he reaches the 65-game minimum, the gap in games played is too large to ignore. Also doesn’t help that he’s played pretty poorly since he returned.
At this point, the question is whether Gilgeous-Alexander will be the second-ever unanimous MVP winner. He’s been the league’s best player. He’s averaged 31.8 points on 55.4% shooting, 6.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds. We’re watching one of the game’s best scorers in his prime. He’ll soon add another MVP trophy to his resume.
OKC’s league-best defense
Constructing this roster, the Thunder prioritized defense. That’s the side of the ball that has led them to all-time conversations. They’re spoiled with rich defenders at all three levels. So it shouldn’t be a surprise to see them atop most defensive statistical categories once again.
If the Thunder go back-to-back, it’ll be because of their defense. That’s how they won an NBA championship last year. We’ll see if they can repeat the formula. That said, though, there have been more inconsistencies this season. Moreso at the POA. Guys like Lu Dort and Cason Wallace have struggled to stay in front of perimeter scorers at times. Look at all four San Antonio losses as case in points.
But when the Thunder are rolling, though, they’re unbeatable. When they go on game-sealing runs, it’s fueled by stops and scores. They create a bevy of turnovers to bury the opponent on the scoreboard. That’s part of their championship DNA.
Williams’ health
The biggest red flag for the rest of the way. Can Williams stay healthy? So far, he’s proven he couldn’t. He missed OKC’s first 19 games with two wrist surgeries. He’s missed 11 games with two hamstring strains. At this point, you’re more concerned with the latter. Those types of soft-tissue injuries can derail an entire season, considering how fragile they are. Even when you return.
The Thunder can survive Williams’ absence in the regular season. The playoffs are a different story, though. Each possession matters even more. They will need someone else to step up as a go-to scorer. As inconsistent as he can be, the 24-year-old proved to be capable in OKC’s title run last year.
Let’s see what the Thunder look like in the second half of the season. If they want to go back-to-back, Williams must stay healthy. The good news is, it feels like he’s finally past his wrist woes. It’s now about fully recovering from a tricky hamstring injury that can spoil ambitions.
Holmgren’s breakout
Finally healthy, Holmgren scratched off another item from his bucket list. He was named a first-time NBA All-Star. Because his box-score numbers don’t really pop off, it requires a unique taste to truly appreciate how he impacts the floor at a top-30 level.
There’s a reason why the advanced metrics love Holmgren. When he’s on the floor, the Thunder absolutely dominate their opponent. He’s the anchor of the NBA’s best defense that goes beyond the handful of blocks he records during a game. The seven-footer completely changes the halfcourt’s geometry.
On the other end, Holmgren is an efficient scorer. He’s averaged 17.4 points on 56% shooting and 8.7 rebounds. He’s shot 34.9% from 3 on 3.6 attempts. He’s an efficient play-finisher who can play within the flow of the offense. Say what you want to say about not being the prettiest bucket-getter, but that style can fit on any team in the league.
Mitchell’s emergence
Running it back with mostly the same roster, Mitchell has made the biggest developmental jump. He went from a nice two-way player to an important part of OKC’s success. There’s a reason why his lineup numbers with Gilgeous-Alexander are the best in the league. It’s been quite the emergence for the 23-year-old.
On a team lacking go-to scorers, Mitchell has taken full advantage of a roster weakness. He’s averaged 14.1 points on 48.7% shooting and 3.7 assists. Those numbers are a humongous plus from what he did last season. Even when they won an NBA championship, the Thunder badly needed a backup guard who could run the offense as Gilgeous-Alexander rested.
In comes Mitchell. He’s been awesome. And with each passing month, his importance to OKC’s success has only grown. His brutal drive-first style has caused him to miss time. But you gladly pay that tax if it means he turns into a consistent double-digit scorer on an offense that can get ugly. We’ll see what he looks like in his first true playoff run, but you can’t undersell how much of a boost he could provide.