The Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t just winning - they’re dominating. And when you dominate the league the way OKC has over the past two seasons, the noise is inevitable. The criticism, the conspiracy theories, the viral clips - it all comes with the territory when you're sitting at the top of the NBA food chain.
After a 68-14 regular season and a championship run that stamped their place in league history, the Thunder have somehow found another gear. A 25-2 start has them flirting with the kind of win total that only a handful of teams in NBA history have ever sniffed. The 70-win chatter isn’t just hype - it’s starting to feel like a legitimate possibility.
But with that kind of dominance comes a different kind of pressure. Every loss feels seismic.
Every misstep is dissected like it’s June, not December. Just look at the reaction to their loss in the 2025 NBA Cup semifinals - a single game, but treated by many like a Game 7 collapse.
That’s the price of being the defending champs and the current league juggernaut.
And now, the noise has gotten louder - not from coaches or front offices, but from the online echo chamber. Social media has turned into a second arena, where every call, no-call, and defensive possession is put under a microscope. Lately, the Thunder have found themselves at the center of a growing narrative: that they’re getting away with too much on defense, and that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is benefiting from soft whistles.
That’s where veteran guard Alex Caruso stepped in.
Caruso - a two-time NBA champion and one of the league’s most respected perimeter defenders - saw enough. After scrolling through a wave of online complaints and accusations, he fired back at a social media user, bluntly suggesting that many of the critics don’t actually understand the game. And when you listen to Caruso, it’s hard not to see where he’s coming from.
“When you win a bunch of games and you’re the current champions, there’s always something,” Caruso said. “This organization does a good job at bringing the right people. When those things happen, people don’t have the usual things to fall back on - like ‘this guy’s a jerk,’ or ‘he’s just chasing stats.’”
And he’s right. This Thunder team isn’t built on ego or flash.
They’re built on cohesion, defense, and a superstar in Gilgeous-Alexander who’s as efficient and composed as they come. When you can’t knock the character, the culture, or the chemistry, the criticisms start to get a little more creative - or desperate.
Caruso, who’s played with a consistent defensive edge throughout his career, finds it ironic that his style is only now being scrutinized. “This is the new era of chatter online,” he added.
“They find something to talk about with our team. I just got bored one day and I saw it.
Probably shouldn’t have, but for them it’s their Super Bowl getting to interact with somebody.”
That’s the reality for today’s elite teams. The Thunder aren’t just competing on the court - they’re navigating the 24/7 commentary cycle that comes with being great in the digital age.
Every win builds the legend. Every loss becomes a referendum.
And every tweet, clip, or hot take can become the next headline.
But here’s the thing: the Thunder aren’t chasing approval. They’re chasing banners.
They’ve built a roster that’s not just winning games - it’s setting the standard. And if you asked any other fanbase in the league whether they’d trade places with OKC right now, you’d hear a resounding yes. Because while the noise will come and go, the trophies - and the 70-win potential - speak louder than any tweet ever could.