LOS ANGELES –<\/p>\n
The Oklahoma City Thunder are one win away from clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the third straight season as they face the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
Oklahoma City enters the matchup at 63-16 and red-hot, winning 18 of its last 19 games, including a dominant 123-87 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The Thunder also made history in the process, becoming the first team in NBA history to win three consecutive games by 35 or more points.<\/p>\n
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way Tuesday with 25 points and eight assists, while Chet Holmgren added 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Thunder bench also played a major role, with Isaiah Joe scoring 18 points on six three-pointers and Jared McCain adding 15 points.<\/p>\n
McCain credited the team\u2019s maturity and chemistry for Oklahoma City\u2019s dominant stretch.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like that\u2019s the thing about this team\u2026 no matter who\u2019s out there, we\u2019re very mature,\u201d McCain said. \u201cIt\u2019s always about us. It\u2019s never about who we\u2019re playing\u2026 we\u2019re trying to focus on ourselves and execute our stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
McCain also praised the Thunder\u2019s ability to play freely within head coach Mark Daigneault\u2019s system.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n \u201cBeing able to just have that flow out there\u2026 it just feels right when I\u2019m out there with them,\u201d McCain said. \u201cWhen we\u2019re able to just play free like that, I think it really helps with the chemistry.\u201d<\/p>\n McCain added that much of that chemistry is built off the court through team dinners, road trips, and time spent together.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the chemistry just comes from hanging out\u2026 being friends off the court builds it and it shows up on the court,\u201d McCain said.<\/p>\n \n No. 1 seed <\/p>\n The Thunder can clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and the best overall record in the NBA with either a win over the Clippers or a loss by the San Antonio Spurs.<\/p>\n Despite the opportunity, Holmgren emphasized the team\u2019s focus remains on improvement rather than standings.<\/p>\n \u201cSeeding doesn\u2019t matter until all 82 games are up,\u201d Holmgren said. \u201cWe can\u2019t focus on that and lose sight of improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n \n Clippers fighting for playoff positioning<\/p>\n The Clippers enter Wednesday\u2019s matchup at 41-38 and battling for play-in positioning in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n Los Angeles earned a 116-103 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday behind 34 points from Kawhi Leonard and 22 points from Darius Garland.<\/p>\n The Clippers have gone 35-20 since Dec. 18 after head coach Tyronn Lue challenged the team following a slow start.<\/p>\n Los Angeles is currently battling the Portland Trail Blazers for positioning in the play-in tournament, making Wednesday\u2019s matchup critical for both teams.<\/p>\n \n Where\/How to Watch<\/p>\n Wednesday, April 8 A win would officially secure the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for Oklahoma City for the third consecutive season.<\/p>\n Thunder are now one win or a Spurs loss from the one seed being officially clinched for the third straight year<\/p>\n Teams to get the 1 seed three years in a row:<\/p>\n 1980-82 Celtics Insane historic company pic.twitter.com\/IXDDDYJvWU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 \ud835\udc6a\ud835\udc90\ud835\udc8f\ud835\udc86 \ud83c\udf29 (@Three_Cone) April 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n
9:00 p.m. CT Intuit Dome Inglewood, California
TV: FanDuel Sports Network<\/p>\n
1984-88 Celtics
1982-90 Lakers
1996-98 Bulls
2008-10 Lakers
2015-17 Warriors<\/p>\n