OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JUNE 22: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates with the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy after defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game Seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 22, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Nearly 10 months after experiencing elation over winning their first NBA championship, developing their young core and staying reasonably healthy, the Oklahoma City Thunder face an even greater test.
“Repeating and doing something again is always a little bit harder and a little bit more challenging,” Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “The league gets better. Players get better.”
OKC has gotten better, too. The No. 1 Thunder (64-18) enter their first-round playoff series against the eighth-seeded Phoenix Suns (45-37) on Sunday as the favorites to win an NBA championship. Amid increased parity, player movement and spending restrictions, the NBA hasn’t overseen a repeat champion since 2019. But OKC will likely snap that streak.
The Thunder secured the Western Conference’s top seed for the third consecutive season. Only the Boston Celtics (1984-88), Los Angeles Lakers (1984-90, 2008-10), Chicago Bulls (1996-98) and Golden State Warriors (2015-17) have accomplished that feat while defending their respective NBA titles during parts of those stretches.
Defending NBA title teams often nurse a championship hangover through the following season. The Thunder? They barely chugged champagne after their title run. Perhaps that’s why they haven’t shown significant signs of grogginess. Instead, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has overseen a team that has treated the 2025-26 season as “blank canvas that we’ve had to paint on” to ensure enduring consistency.
“When you win the championship, that kind of hangs over you as a team the next year,” Daigneault said. “Everybody, including ourselves, judge yourself against that. It’s incredibly hard to be present in the next regular season. But I learned so much from this team because of their ability to come in every day, embrace the day and the challenge that we had that day and not look backwards and look forwards. They attack every challenge together with a level of zest and joy.”
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 28: Aaron Wiggins #21 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder react on the bench against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 28, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
It might seem easy for the Thunder to have a joyful mood given their circumstances.
Gilgeous-Alexander will likely win his second consecutive regular-season MVP while remaining one of the league’s most dangerous and versatile scorers. Thunder center Chet Holmgren made his first All-Star appearance as one of the league’s top two-way players. The Thunder dominate in nearly every statistical category.
OKC rank fifth in points per game (119) and fourth in field-goal percentage (48.4%). It fares even higher in various defensive metrics. The Thunder lead the NBA in defensive ratting (106.5), defensive field-goal percentage (43.7%), deflections per game (20.7) and points off turnovers per game (22.0).
“Our experiences have naturally done that for us,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We understand how to win and the formula for winning. We understand that doing that every night is the key to success.”
Yet, the Thunder experienced a relatively smooth ride while still navigating some potentially turbulent roads.
OKC managed overlapping injuries throughout the 2025-26 season to Jalen Williams (49 games), Isaiah Hartenstein (34), Gilgeous-Alexander (34), Alex Caruso (25), Ajay Mitchell (24) and Lu Dort (14). Just like all past NBA champions do, the Thunder absorbed their opponent’s best effort even during the regular-season dog days.
The Thunder still avoided a three-game losing streak throughout the season. They only experienced five two-game losing streaks. One of those stretches happened at the end of the season when OCK already secured the No. 1 seed and rested players ahead of the playoffs.
“I wouldn’t even say it’s a bad thing,” Holmgren said. “Obviously, you don’t want anybody to be injured. But I think those hurdles and being presented with those, it’s great for everybody to learn and play through those things.”
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JUNE 22: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates with the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy with his new one-of-one pair of Converse signature basketball shoe, the SHAI 001 in "Trophy Gold" after defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game Seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 22, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Gilgeous-Alexander maintained that he “is a world of a better player” than even last season. His scoring averages slightly dipped from last season (32.7) to this season (31.1). But he has shot more efficiently this season from the field (55.3%) and from deep (38.6%) compared to last season (51.9. 37.5%). He also elevated his game to account for Williams’ initial absence.
The Thunder didn’t drop defensively because they have several reinforcements on the wings. Dort is considered OKC’s most physical defender with how he both sets and fights through screens. Caruso enhances the Thunder with hustle plays and vocal leadership. Cason Wallace provides quickness with both his hands and feet.
Both Holmgren and Hartenstein offer positional versatility both as post-up bigs and stretch fives. That has enabled the Thunder to feature them together. But because of the overlapping injuries, the Thunder have also leaned on small-ball lineups. OKC have started Gilgeous-Alexander, Wallace, Dort, Hartenstein and Holmgren in 15 different games. But the Thunder have also used 30 different starting lineups.