Oklahoma City’s path back to the top of the West may not hinge only on what it does inside the conference. If the Thunder are going to chase another championship next season, the games against the East could quietly matter just as much.
The Thunder are coming off a Western Conference Finals exit and will try to answer that disappointment with another title run. That won’t come easily.
This offseason, Oklahoma City moved Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe for financial reasons in order to get under the second apron and create room for incoming rookies. Most of the postseason core is still in place, but the regular season roster has some gaps, and that means the Thunder will need more from some of their youngest players.
That creates at least a little room for slippage. The West has shifted around them, with star power moving and several teams making notable offseason changes, but Oklahoma City is still viewed as a favorite alongside San Antonio. The difference may come down to how well the Thunder handle the full schedule, especially when they face teams from the other conference.
Last season, Oklahoma City went 23-7 against the East, which tied Houston for second-best in the West behind San Antonio’s 26-4 record. If the Spurs are going to be the Thunder’s biggest threat for the No. 1 seed, then matching or bettering that interconference success could matter a lot.
The bar, though, is even higher when you look back at 2024-25. Oklahoma City went 29-1 against Eastern Conference teams, setting the best interconference record in league history. That kind of run is probably too much to ask for again, but the Thunder don’t need history to repeat itself perfectly to put themselves in a strong position.
If they can win close to 90% of those East matchups, especially by taking care of business at home and surviving the tougher road games, Oklahoma City could stack up enough wins to stay in the mix for the top seed once again.
In Other News...
Chet Holmgrens Response To Postseason Jokes Says Plenty About OKC
The Thunders season ended with the kind of disappointment that tends to linger, and Chet Holmgren has felt the aftershocks more than most. After Oklahoma Citys loss to the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, the Game 7 scrutiny came fast on social media, even though Holmgrens rsum still stacks up with the leagues best, including All-NBA recognition and a finish near the top of the Defensive Player of the Year race.
What stood out, though, was how lightly Holmgren took the noise around him. Teammate Jared McCain added to the jokes, and Holmgren answered in kind, treating the ribbing like part of the normal give-and-take of a close locker room. For a Thunder team trying to turn a painful exit into motivation for next season, that kind of easy chemistry can matter almost as much as any offseason headline. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Fans Should Not Take This Run For Granted
As Oklahoma football works through another rocky stretch, including the Michigan loss and a middling run under Brent Venables, the contrast inside the state has rarely been sharper. The Thunder have given fans something sturdier to hold onto, coming off a title and entering the new NBA season with the core that made the whole thing possible still intact.
That is why this kind of success should not get treated like routine background noise in Oklahoma City. The Thunder have already climbed to the top, and they are still positioned to contend again with the same young backbone in place. Teams do not usually stay in this spot for long, which is exactly why the upcoming season deserves full attention while it is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Could Face A Tough Jaylin Williams Decision Soon
Jaylin Williams has carved out a useful place in Oklahoma Citys rotation by doing the dirty work that keeps a contender humming. His defense, floor spacing and energy have made him a dependable fit around the Thunders core, the kind of player coaches trust because he can cover multiple needs without demanding the spotlight.
The longer view is where things get interesting. Oklahoma City has to balance roster value with future cap planning, and Williams spot is one of those decisions that can look simple now and become more complicated later. Thomas Sorber is part of that conversation after being added as a recent draft pick, though his path to challenging Williams would require a perimeter game that is not yet part of the equation. [Read more 🡒]