The Oklahoma City Thunder have been nothing short of a juggernaut over the past two seasons. After storming to a 68-14 record last year and capping it off with an NBA title, they’ve picked up right where they left off.
At 21-1 to start this season, the Thunder aren’t just winning - they’re dominating. And with that kind of pace, the whispers about a potential 70-win season aren’t so quiet anymore.
There’s no real mystery behind OKC’s success. This team is built on a suffocating defense that thrives on forcing turnovers and disrupting rhythm.
They lead the league in defensive efficiency and make every possession a grind for opponents. On the offensive end, it’s the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander show.
The reigning MVP has become the most effortless 30-point scorer in the league - he gets buckets with surgical precision and rarely seems fazed, no matter what the defense throws at him.
But while the Thunder’s on-court dominance has been well-documented, there’s another factor that’s starting to get some attention: the impact of their homecourt advantage at Paycom Center. Since the start of the 2024-25 season, OKC has gone an astounding 46-6 at home.
During their title run, they only dropped two games at home - and both were the result of last-second heroics from Aaron Gordon and Tyrese Haliburton. That’s not just good.
That’s fortress-level dominance.
NBA agent Rich Paul recently offered a unique take on why Oklahoma City might be such a tough place to play - and it’s not just about the fans or the team’s play. Speaking on The Ringer podcast with Bill Simmons, Max Kellerman shared Paul’s theory that OKC’s small-market vibe might actually work in the Thunder’s favor.
“His point was, ‘Yeah, but they play in OKC - you gotta take some points off,’” Kellerman said. “There is no energy when you get there.
The teams they are gonna face are not energized. They are already thinking that, ‘In a couple of nights, we are gonna be in LA and there is no juice.’”
In other words, Paul is suggesting that visiting teams might come into Oklahoma City a little too relaxed - maybe even complacent - before the game even tips off. It’s not the glitz of Los Angeles or the nightlife of Miami.
It’s quieter, more low-key. And that, in his view, might be just enough to dull the edge of visiting teams.
Now, whether that theory holds up across the board is up for debate. After all, this is the defending champion we’re talking about.
You’d think teams would circle OKC on the calendar - not just for the challenge, but for the opportunity to see how they stack up against the league’s gold standard. There’s no sneaking up on anyone when you’ve got a title banner hanging in the rafters and an MVP leading the charge.
Still, there’s something to be said for the idea that environment matters. We’ve seen it before - Denver’s altitude, Miami’s nightlife, Boston’s hostile crowds.
Every arena has its quirks, and every road trip has its own rhythm. Maybe Oklahoma City’s advantage is subtler - a city that doesn’t distract, a team that doesn’t let up, and a building where the Thunder know exactly how to turn the screws.
Whatever the reason, the results speak for themselves. The Thunder are elite, they’re locked in, and they’re making Paycom Center one of the toughest places to win in the league. Whether it’s the defense, the MVP-level scoring, or just the quiet calm before the storm, one thing’s clear: if you’re coming into OKC expecting an easy night, you’re in for a rude awakening.