Sept. 4, 2026, 1:01 p.m. CT

The 'NBA 2K27' video game cover.

After falling short of their back-to-back ambitions, the Oklahoma City Thunder are ready to get back in the saddle. Even after their offseason of cost-cutting moves, they’re viewed as arguably the top title favorite again. That’s what happens when you have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.

The Thunder have everything that it takes to win the 2027 NBA championship. This group has one ring in hand — with the hopes of adding another. As long as those three are around, OKC will always be in the title picture.

Thunder Wire recently simulated the Thunder’s upcoming season in the new NBA 2K27 video game. Thunder fans might straight-up hate the final result. Let’s look at how OKC’s campaign played out as it hopes to bring home a second championship.

For transparency, injuries and trades were turned off in this simulation. So all 30 NBA teams had the same rosters and rotations available throughout the entire season. It was at Hall-of-Fame difficulty. With that taken into account, let’s look at how things turned out:

Record and standings

The Thunder make NBA history once again. They’re the first seed for the fourth consecutive year. That’s only the sixth time that has happened ever. They went 59-23 and had to wait until the regular-season finale to cool their jets. The Spurs and Timberwolves also had the same record. OKC had the tiebreaker over the two.

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The Thunder were nearly indestructible at home. They went a sizzling 36-5 at Paycom Center. On the road, they had a much more pedestrian 23-18 record. They had an impressive 37-15 record against the Western Conference. That said, OKC’s plus-9 point differential was only second behind San Antonio’s plus-12.

Out East, there were three teams with 60-plus wins. The Knicks went 61-21; the Magic went 60-22 — yep, you read that right; and the Pistons went 61-21.

Does SGA win a 3rd MVP in a row?

Gilgeous-Alexander enters this upcoming season on the cusp of NBA history. He could be just the fourth player ever to win the MVP trophy in three consecutive years. Only Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird can say they’re part of that exclusive club. Well, according to this 2K simulation, he unfortunately falls short.

Victor Wembanyama won the 2026-27 MVP award. He averaged 22.8 points, 13.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.3 blocks. To my surprise, Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t even make the All-NBA First Team. He had to settle for a Second Team spot. Cade Cunningham was the sole guard among the All-NBA First Team members. More on that later.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s stats took a huge dip. He averaged 24.9 points on 50.7% shooting, 6.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds. He shot 36.6% from 3. That’s quite the contrast from his usual superb-efficient 30-plus points that he’s averaged over the last four years. Let’s chalk it up to 2K simulation wackiness.

How did Holmgren and Williams do?

After the offseason moves OKC made, a lot will fall on Holmgren and Williams. The Thunder are banking on their triumvirate to have their first healthy season together in three years. Holmgren missed three months with a hip fracture in 2024-25; Williams played less than half of last year with wrist surgeries and hamstring strains. So how did they end up doing?

Well, Williams didn’t really inspire a ton of confidence, sadly. He averaged 15.5 points on 44.9% shooting, 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He shot 31.1% from 3. He stayed healthy, sure, but his production wasn’t anywhere near his All-NBA level from two years ago. You have to wonder about his long-term fit after a year like this.

Meanwhile, it was much the same for Holmgren. He averaged 17.1 points on 48.9% shooting, 10.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.5 blocks. Even with his disappointing finish to last year’s playoff race, he remains OKC’s second-best player. This would be the first time he’s ever averaged a double-double.

Award winners

Oddly enough, the Thunder don’t have a ton of NBA award recognitions despite being the West’s first seed. As mentioned earlier, Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t win the MVP trophy. Heck, he didn’t even make the All-NBA First Team. Those five were Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Karl-Anthony Towns and Cunningham.

Gilgeous-Alexander did make the All-NBA Second Team, though. The other four were Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum and Bam Adebayo. The All-NBA Third Team consisted of Tyrese Maxey, Tyrese Haliburton, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Johnson and Evan Mobley.

Love remains for Holmgren’s top-percentile defense. He was an All-Defense First Team member. The other four were Wembanyama, Antetokounmpo, Mobley and Ausar Thompson. The Second Team was Jokic (??), Rudy Gobert, Adebayo, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Anthony Davis.

Regular season stats

Here are the notable regular-season stats for OKC’s main rotation players:

Gilgeous-Alexander: 24.9 points – 4.3 rebounds – 6.0 assists – 50.7% shooting – 36.6% 3-point shooting – 88.7% free-throw shooting – 2.3 steals

Holmgren: 17.1 points – 10.2 rebounds – 1.2 assists – 48.9% shooting – 29.8% 3-point shooting – 78.9% free-throw shooting – 2.5 blocks

Williams: 15.5 points – 5.5 rebounds – 4.3 assists – 44.9% shooting – 31.1% 3-point shooting – 82.2% free-throw shooting – 1.4 steals

Hartenstein: 11.6 points – 11.4 rebounds – 2.9 assists – 53.4% shooting – 25.0% 3-point shooting – 54.5% free-throw shooting – 1.2 blocks

Wallace: 10.2 points – 2.8 rebounds – 2.0 assists – 46.3% shooting – 32.5% 3-point shooting – 78.9% free-throw shooting – 1.6 steals

Mitchell: 13.7 points – 3.7 rebounds – 3.4 assists – 47.4% shooting – 34.1% 3-point shooting – 88.6% free-throw shooting – 1.2 steals

Caruso: 6.2 points – 3.6 rebounds – 2.3 assists – 38.6% shooting – 29.4% 3-point shooting – 76.2% free-throw shooting – 1.1 steals

McCain: 9.5 points – 2.8 rebounds – 1.2 assists – 43.6% shooting – 33.8% 3-point shooting – 84.7% free-throw shooting

How did OKC’s departures do?

The Thunder had to say goodbye to a handful of longtime role players this summer. Such is the business of the NBA. You can’t keep the same group of guys around forever. Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins are now on the Hawks; Isaiah Joe was traded to the Pistons. Just out of curiosity, let’s see how they ended up doing at their new homes:

Dort: 7.7 points – 2.9 rebounds – 0.7 assists – 36.3% shooting – 1.6 steals – 31.6% 3-point shooting – 74.5% free-throw shooting

Wiggins: 10.0 points – 3.1 rebounds – 0.7 assists – 49.5% shooting – 39.6% 3-point shooting – 80.1% free-throw shooting

Joe: 10.3 points – 2.4 rebounds – 1.1 assists – 39.3% shooting – 32.0% 3-point shooting – 86.0% free-throw shooting

Playoff standings

Here are the final standings for the 2027 NBA playoffs. The West is somewhat realistic and halfway salvageable. Meanwhile, the East is filled with video game chaos. Especially with how top-heavy it is:

West:

1. Thunder (59-23)2. Spurs (59-23)3. Timberwolves (59-23)4. Trail Blazers (54-28)5. Mavericks (52-30)6. Nuggets (46-36)7. Suns (42-40)8. Rockets (39-43)9. Warriors (33-49)10. Lakers (33-49)

East:

1. Knicks (61-21)2. Pistons (61-21)3. Magic (60-22)4. Cavaliers (47-35)5. Raptors (44-38)6. Celtics (42-40)7. Nets (40-42)8. Sixers (40-42)9. Bulls (39-43)10. Wizards (33-49)How do the Thunder perform in 2027 NBA playoffs?

The one thing missing from OKC’s resume to be remembered as an all-time team is a dominant playoff run. They’ve accomplished about everything else since Gilgeous-Alexander ascended into an NBA superstar. Alas, those ambitions turn this postseason run into a heartbreaker.

As the first seed, the Thunder dominated through the West bracket. They swept the Rockets in Round 1. Talk about sweet revenge. Could you imagine the online trolling and memes if OKC sent Kevin Durant packing for possibly his last playoff trip ever? And aside from that, what a poetic way to finish things up between the two sides.

Then the Thunder swept the Mavericks in Round 2. Like this past year, OKC is 8-0 through the first two rounds. Meeting up with the Nuggets in the 2027 Western Conference Finals, the Thunder finish them in five games. Gilgeous-Alexander won the 2027 Western Conference Finals MVP. Just pure domination. That means they’ve punched their second ticket in three years for the NBA Finals.

And then the dream run fell apart. The Thunder faced the Pistons in the 2027 NBA Finals. On paper, this should be an easy win for OKC. Instead, OKC lost in seven games. Ouch. I don’t think the fanbase can handle another do-or-die game at this grand stage. This time, the East team got the better of them. Cunningham won the NBA Finals MVP. No real solace was taken in this run because of that.

How realistic is this playoff run? Pretty fair. The Thunder are viewed as co-title favorites — alongside the Spurs. Making the NBA Finals is very much in line with reality. Even after their cost-cutting moves. But to fall short in the NBA Finals would boil over with frustration. I guess you’d run it back with this group in the 2027-28 year, but it’s just demoralizing having to return to square one.