OKLAHOMA CITY — How it will be Oklahoma City Thunder cope with the distractions that come with historical dominance?
That's kind of the challenge facing the defending champions after the Thunder followed up last season's championship run with the best 25-game start in NBA history.
Oklahoma City punched its ticket to Las Vegas with victory with a score of 138-89 over Phoenix Suns in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday at Paycom Center. It was the most lopsided loss in Phoenix history and the biggest upset of the season, but the routs seem routine for the Thunder during a 24-1 start that only previously happened in 2015-16. Golden State Warriors.
Oklahoma City has outscored opponents by an average of 17.4 points this season, allowing the Thunder to surpass the record they set last season (average point differential of plus 12.9). Seventeen of the Thunder's victories have come by double-digit margins.
“Victory is never boring. There was a time when some players on our team were out of action,” Thunder forward. Jalen Williams said, referring to the 73-point loss to Memphis Grizzlies December 2, 2021. “I think a lot of guys have it in the back of their minds. Even me, my first year, we didn't win a lot – we were solid, but I think I have it in my heart. And this process cannot get boring.”
It's something of an accomplishment for a contender to push the Thunder enough to win MVP. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander play in the fourth quarter.
That didn't happen Wednesday. After scoring 28 points in 27 minutes, Gilgeous-Alexander left the game along with the rest of Oklahoma City's starting lineup with 3:32 left in the third quarter. The Thunder were up 41 at that point, and the lead grew to 53 in the fourth quarter.
“I think we have good mental toughness tonight,” said Thunder coach Mark Daignault, whose team has led by 20 points or more more times than it has trailed in 25 games. “It's hard to play with a lead. It's hard not to get distracted by the score. I thought the group that started the third quarter came out and hit the first shot, and that energy continued into the third quarter. Then the fourth quarter group did a great job of just playing the next possession. That's how you form habits. In a game like this, you can take steps back, even if you might end up winning the game.”
Oklahoma City is 72-10 in its last 82 regular-season games and has outscored opponents by 1,189 points during that time. That's the best point differential of any 82-game span in NBA history, according to ESPN Research.
The Warriors' single-season record of 73 wins in 2015-16 seems well within Oklahoma City's reach, but the Thunder have dismissed the debate as a potential distraction.
It was the Thunder's 16th straight win, tying the franchise record for longest winning streak.
“I’m not focusing on the winning streak,” Daigneault said. “You just have to play the next possession, be better the next day, win the next quarter and compete in the next game. And then if you do that and you're present in the process, sometimes you'll look up and win a certain number of games in a row. But we certainly must understand that we still have a lot of improvement to do. We have a lot to maintain and a lot of competitive challenges ahead.”
Daigneault said he's not worried about complacency surrounding the Thunder because the franchise's players have consistently demonstrated the level of commitment and focus required to meet the “competitive challenges” that lead to extraordinary success. He noted that much of the cast, including stars Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Chet Holmgren – still has development potential as players approach or are at the beginning of their prime.
Many Oklahoma City players have emphasized that the team's priority is to stay present and not get caught up in past accomplishments or future opportunities.
“I would say it starts with the standard we have,” said Holmgren, who had 24 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in the win. “It continues with the respect we have for each other and the pleasure we get from doing it together. And then it all kind of culminates in trying to learn from every experience – good, bad, close fight, failure, whatever it is. Just try to keep learning from them, keep getting better and have fun while we do it.”
