For the third straight year, the Oklahoma City Thunder have locked up the No. 1 seed, but the real story is how this achievement places them among basketball’s most legendary dynasties. Yankee Scores reports.
Thunder Join Elite NBA Company
By clinching the top spot with a 128–110 win over the Clippers, the Thunder became only the seventh team in NBA history to finish first in their conference three consecutive seasons. That list includes the Celtics of the ’70s and ’80s, the Showtime Lakers, Michael Jordan’s Bulls, Kobe Bryant’s Lakers, and the Golden State Warriors.
Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander, who posted 20 points and 11 assists before resting the fourth quarter, reflected on the grind:
Numbers That Define Dominance
The Thunder (64–16) have now won at least 64 games in back‑to‑back seasons, joining only the 1995–97 Bulls and the 2015–17 Warriors in that rare feat. They also became a wire‑to‑wire winner, leading the West every single day of the season — something last achieved by Golden State in 2016.
Coach Mark Daigneault praised his squad’s resilience:
Eyes on the Playoffs
Despite injuries midseason, the Thunder surged with a 22–2 run after the All‑Star break. Chet Holmgren, who dropped 30 points against the Clippers, emphasized the team’s fight:
“I thought we did a good job of fighting through everything we saw this year, and it’s paid off.”
Now, Oklahoma City aims to become the first team since Jordan’s Bulls in 1996–97 to win back‑to‑back titles while holding the NBA’s best record. Gilgeous‑Alexander summed up the mindset:
“It’s not the razzle‑dazzle. Understanding how to get the job done every night — we’ve built that muscle more than anything.”
With history already on their side, the Thunder’s next challenge is clear: proving that regular‑season dominance can translate into another championship run.
