Did Chris Finch’s tantrum change course of Thunder’s season?

The Oklahoma City Thunder rolled into that December matchup looking unstoppable. They faced the Minnesota Timberwolves with momentum, swagger, and the best record in basketball. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had full control of games, and the Thunder’s season felt steady and inevitable. Then Timberwolves coach Chris Finch lost his temper, got ejected, and the energy shifted inside the arena. Minnesota fed off it. OKC stumbled. The result was only one 112-107 loss on paper, but it lingered like something more.

Context matters here. The Thunder were 25–2 before that night, now, they are 30–7. Still elite and first in the West. But the journey between those numbers feels different. Since the Finch ejection, OKC is just 5–5. The rhythm cooled. The margins tightened. The team that once bulldozed opponents now looks more human. Monday’s 124–97 loss to the Hornets added weight. It created a two-game losing streak and ended an NBA-record 24-game winning run against Eastern Conference teams. It also snapped something emotional — that aura of inevitability.

A turning point or just turbulence for the Thunder?

The statistical dip backs up the unease. Over their last nine games, the Thunder sit 26th in free-throw attempts per night. For this roster, that stat matters more than most. They attack the rim, force contact, and live at the line. When whistles stop coming, their style bends. It forces more jump shots and fewer paint touches. That changes outcomes and confidence.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were rolling like a machine.

25–2 entering a matchup with the Timberwolves on December 19, looking untouchable, looking inevitable.

Then one night changed the energy.

That Minnesota game got loud as Chris Finch got ejected, later fined $35,000.

OKC… pic.twitter.com/FTk58AfzEF

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 6, 2026

None of this erases who they are. The Thunder are the defending NBA champions. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains a calm star who controls pace. The roster is young, long, and fearless. Slumps happen. But storylines also form. Chris Finch’s eruption. A Timberwolves spark. A whisper that the whistle feels different now. Coincidence or cause? Fans feel the tension. The team feels the test.

Now the question sits under the lights: is this just a rough stretch in the Thunder season, or the moment OKC learns how to win when the game stops giving them favors?

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