The Oklahoma City Thunder are chasing history as they begin their title defense. Fresh off a 68-14 record and their first championship since moving to OKC, the Thunder are positioned to chase a feat only two franchises have achieved.
ESPN Insights highlighted the milestone on X, noting that Oklahoma City is chasing a spot alongside the Golden State Warriors and the Chicago Bulls as the only franchises to post consecutive 65-plus win seasons. Golden State achieved the feat from 2014-15 through 2016-17, while Chicago did it in 1995-96 and 1996-97 during the Michael Jordan dynasty.
That historic benchmark feels within reach as the reigning champions open their season on Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets. The core that dominated last year remains largely intact, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who returns as both regular-season MVP and Finals MVP after leading Oklahoma City past the Indiana Pacers in a seven-game Finals series. His Game 7 performance sealed a 103-91 victory that delivered the franchise's first title of the OKC era.
Can the Thunder pull it off?
The roster brings back several key pieces, including Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Luguentz Dort, Alex Caruso, and Isaiah Hartenstein. That continuity under coach Mark Daigneault gives the Thunder a real shot at reaching the historic mark, especially with a light schedule featuring just 13 back-to-back sets.
Their defensive identity remains the foundation. Oklahoma City finished first in defensive rating last season at 107.5 while ranking third offensively, a rare two-way balance that powered their playoff run. With minimal roster turnover and an NBA-record scoring margin of plus-12.9 points per game from last season, the blueprint for another dominant campaign seems to be already in place.
Sportsbooks agree. Oklahoma City enters as the betting favorite at plus-200 odds to repeat as champions, the shortest preseason number since the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors.
The Thunder will open without Jalen Williams as he recovers from offseason wrist surgery, though he's not expected to miss extended time. Williams played through the torn ligament during the entire championship run before undergoing the procedure in July.
With opening night here, the Thunder have 82 games to cement their place in one of basketball's most exclusive clubs.
