After a red-hot start that had the league buzzing, the Oklahoma City Thunder have hit a more grounded stretch - but don’t mistake that for a fall from grace. Going 13-7 over their last 20 games might not scream “historic dominance” the way their jaw-dropping 24-1 opening did, but in many ways, this recent run says even more about who the Thunder really are: battle-tested, resilient, and still very much a problem for the rest of the NBA.
Let’s rewind for a moment. Back in November, plenty of skeptics were quick to point out that OKC’s early success came against one of the league’s softest schedules.
Through their first 15 games, they’d faced the second-easiest slate in the NBA. Given they were coming off a championship season and returned every key contributor, a fast start was expected - maybe even required.
But expectations and execution are two very different things, and the Thunder didn’t just meet the moment - they dominated it.
Fast forward to now, and the narrative has shifted. According to ESPN, the Thunder’s strength of schedule has climbed to 18th.
Other rankings have them even higher - as tough as eighth, depending on the metrics used. December, in particular, brought a noticeable uptick in competition.
The NBA’s official site ranked that month’s schedule 12th most difficult, and OKC certainly felt the heat. A three-game sweep by the Spurs had some questioning whether the wheels were starting to wobble.
But just when it looked like the Thunder might be slipping, they responded - like champions do. They closed December on a three-game win streak and finished the month 9-4. That’s not just surviving adversity; that’s thriving in it.
The recent stretch has been no cakewalk either. OKC faced five straight games against teams above .500 - the kind of stretch that can expose pretenders.
Instead, the Thunder went 4-1, and they didn’t just squeak by. They blew the doors off the Rockets, Heat, and Cavaliers, showcasing the kind of two-way dominance that doesn’t always show up in the standings but absolutely shows up on film.
One blip? A surprising loss to the Hornets - a rare misstep in what’s otherwise been a consistently sharp run.
But zoom out, and it’s clear: this team is still taking care of business against elite competition. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to lead with poise and precision, and the supporting cast is doing more than just filling roles - they’re elevating them.
Looking ahead, February looms large. It’s shaping up to be OKC’s most grueling test yet.
The Thunder haven’t faced the defending champs, the Denver Nuggets, or the surging Detroit Pistons this season - but that’s about to change. They’ll see those two teams three times combined, plus rematches with the Rockets, Spurs, Magic, Suns, Cavaliers, and Raptors.
That’s a gauntlet, no question. But if the Thunder can navigate that stretch and still hold their place near the top of the standings, it’ll be tough to argue against them as legitimate favorites to repeat. The early-season fireworks were fun, but what we’re seeing now - the grit, the adjustments, the ability to take a punch and punch back harder - that’s the stuff of a true contender.
Bottom line: this isn’t a team that’s fading. It’s a team that’s evolving. And if February is the proving ground, don’t be surprised if OKC walks out of it looking even more dangerous than they did at 24-1.