The march continues for the Oklahoma City Thunder. This team is coming off two dominant seasons in a row, one that came with an NBA championship and one that came with a loss to their top rival, the San Antonio Spurs.
The Thunder are not going to suffer any slippage this season. They have the two-time Most Valuable Player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the 28-year-old is still at the peak of his ability. No player can draw fouls like SGA and he is always going to be able to score when the game is on the line.
He has a team full of players who form an incredible supporting cast, and the chemistry with his teammates is sensational. The Thunder can turn up the defense whenever they need to, and that's why this team is coming off a 68-14 regular-season record in 2025-26.
Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are the two primary players who are going to support Gilgeous-Alexander. Head coach Mark Daigneault gets additional support from young players Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain. This is a team that is ready to fly once again.
Will the Thunder have the same record that they have managed the last two years? The easy answer is that there is bound to be a few more losses after so much consistency. But SGA is not going to let that happen. So look for at least 64-65 wins from the Thunder.
The issue, of course, is Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. That team eliminated the Thunder last season and is still improving. It will be a battle worth watching from start to finish.
Gilgeous-Alexander will win his third consecutive MVP Award
Tremendous quickness, a hunger to attack the basket, the ability to score when the game is on the line. These are the strengths that have helped make SGA a generational player. However, there's an intangible characteristic that the best players have. They hate to lose and it makes their blood boil. Nobody hated to lose more than Michael Jordan — with the possible exception of Bill Russell — and SGA is in the next tier behind those two.
The numbers, of course, are just tremendous. He averaged 31.1 points per game, and that marked the fourth consecutive season that he has exceeded the 30 ppg mark. Gilgeous-Alexander shot an incredible 55.3 percent from the field and that figure cannot be glossed over. He shots 38.6 percent from beyond the arc and that meant he connected on 60.2 percent of his two-point attempts. That would be a brilliant figure for a big man who operates three feet from the basket. It is a shocking number for a 6-6 combo guard.
He handed out 6.6 assists per game, and his passes are always razor sharp and often through the smallest openings. He is not going to win any awards for his rebounding — down to 4.3 per game — but he is also one of the best defensive players in the league.
When it comes to leadership and clutch play in the NBA, the only player that compares with him Jalen Brunson of the NBA champion New York Knicks.
Spurs will be a top-3 defensive team in the NBA
The Thunder finished the No. 2 team in the league on defense from a statistical perspective. They gave up 107.9 points per game and that was just slightly behind the Boston Celtics at 107.2 and a couple of points better than the third-ranked Detroit Pistons.
The Thunder have Alex Caruso as well as Williams and Wallace, and that trio were All-Defensive team members. They will contest every pass and they are the kind of athletes who can force multiple turnovers and feed the offense on a consistent basis.
Article Continues BelowThe one thing that has to be a concern for Daigneault and the Thunder is the departure of Lu Dort. He was among the most physical defenders in the league and his physical strength combined with his anticipation were a key part of the Oklahoma City defense. The belief is that team will quickly find its defensive stride and will once again be at or near the top of the NBA's defensive units.
Drive to regain championship form
The Thunder are a sensational team that has been in top form the past two seasons. They were stopped by the San Antonio Spurs last year in the seventh game at home, and they had to live with that all through the offseason.
The Spurs are formidable and they won 8 of the 12 games the two teams played last year — including the playoffs. There are no expectations for a downturn from the Spurs, but look for the Thunder to recapture the West and get back to the NBA Finals again.
If they can survive their battle with Victor Wembanyama, the Thunder will have an excellent chance to win their second NBA title in three years. The NBA Finals will likely be a battle with the Knicks, 76ers or Pistons, and SGA will not let them lose.