Oklahoma City Thunder confirms themselves as the best team in the NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder achieved a historic milestone by securing the best record in the NBA and the top spot in the Western Conference with their 128-110 victory over Los Angeles Clippers on the road. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, confirmed as the best player in the world.

This marks the third consecutive season in which the Thunder have clinched the top seed in the West, becoming the sixth team since the NBA adopted the 16-team format in 1983-84 to achieve a streak of three consecutive seasons as the top playoff seed, according to ESPN Research. The other teams to accomplish this were the Boston Celtics (1984-1988), Los Angeles Lakers (1984-1990), Chicago Bulls (1996-1998), Lakers again (2008-2010), and Golden State Warriors (2015-2017), all multiple-time champions during those streaks.

In terms of victories, only the Bulls and the Warriors surpass the Thunder over a two-year period, as Oklahoma City has amassed 132 regular-season wins in the last two campaigns, with a record of 68-14 last season and 64-16 with two games remaining this season.

"It's impressive," commented current MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 20 points and dished out 11 assists in the win against the Clippers. "Obviously, none of this matters if you don't win in the end. But winning teams share certain characteristics and meet the same requirements. Checking those boxes means we are heading in the right direction. We are far from the ultimate goal, but this indicates that we are on the right track."

The Thunder aim to become only the fifth team in NBA history to achieve the best league record and win the championship in consecutive seasons. The last time it was accomplished was with the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan in 1995-96 and 1996-97. The 1986-87 and 1987-88 Lakers are the other teams to have done so since the ABA-NBA merger.

Oklahoma City surpassed the San Antonio Spurs to secure the top spot despite facing several significant injuries during the season, including wrist and thigh issues that limited All-NBA selection Jalen Williams to just 33 games.

The team started the season with a 24-1 run, sparking debates about surpassing the Warriors' 73 wins in 2015-16. However, the discussion quieted after a stretch of 6-6 in December and early January, which included three losses to the Spurs in 12 days.

Pressure from the Spurs

San Antonio won 26 games in 28 outings starting February 1 but never caught up with the Thunder in the standings. Oklahoma City finished strong, posting a 19-1 record since Gilgeous-Alexander returned from an abdominal injury on February 27.

"It's a great achievement," said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. "No two seasons are the same, and this one was different in many experiences. We started off well and then faced many absences, especially midseason. Winning the championship the previous year leaves a weight on the team and forces you to constantly assess yourself. I learned a lot from this group for their ability to face each day and each challenge with enthusiasm and joy, and that explains the season we had."

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