In a 16-point win over the 3-5 Orlando Magic Monday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder not only kept their season’s first defeat at bay, but they also made a little bit of NBA history in the process. The accomplishment only speaks to how well OKC is playing this season and why the hype around them is real.
OKC Thunder Strike History While Remaining Unbeaten
Thunder Make League History In Win Over Magic
Their team camaraderie is a joy to see, as the Thunder have made it a nightly tradition to stand as a group during postgame interviews. It’s a testament to the brotherhood in and outside the locker room. After a 102-86 win over Orlando at home on Monday, the Thunder not only secured their 7th consecutive win to open the 2024-25 NBA season, but they also did it in history-making fashion. Since the league was born, no other team has opened their season with a 7-0 record while maintaining a margin of victory with double-digit point differences in each contest. In their first seven games, OKC have won by 15, 19, 24, 12, 23, 13, and 16 points respectively.
This feat has been attributed to a bagful of skill and talent, but if you ask Jalen Williams, he attributes OKC’s success to something else.
“I think we play hard every night, and in that way, it’s no different than any night that we’re off. Every time we play hard it covers up for a lot of stuff.
Williams made that comment in his postgame interview surrounded by a handful of teammates, and he couldn’t be more correct. The Thunder play hard night in and night out. They have largely outplayed their opponents since opening night, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Williams. Could this be the new big three in the league? The way they’re coming together, there’s certainly an argument for it.
It’s Only Just the Beginning
While OKC has convincingly beaten their first seven opponents, let’s remember that they’re doing it down some key pieces. Isaiah Hartenstein was brought in during the offseason to help out Holmgren at the center position. It was an excellent pickup for the Thunder, considering Hartenstein’s strong defensive capabilities and rebounding, as displayed in last season’s playoffs while he was with the New York Knicks. Well, presently, he’s not even on the floor and dealing with an injury sustained in the preseason. The Thunder are also still without Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams. Getting Hartenstein back will have a more significant impact, though. So, you can bet that OKC’s defense will only increase at that point.
The Thunder will obviously lose eventually. Their greatest test thus far could come on Wednesday when they travel to Denver to take on Nikola Jokic and the surging Nuggets. The two squads clashed on opening night, and the Thunder walked away with a 102-87 victory. However, Denver has significantly improved since then and is playing much better basketball now.
Whether the OKC Thunder will continue their history-making ways is yet to be determined. If they could again secure a win over the Nuggets, that would be something. As Jalen Williams stated, it comes down to playing hard every night, win or lose. The Thunder have all the talent in the world. They have leadership, veteran presence, superb coaching, and a handful of guys willing to lay it out on the floor each night. At 7-0, this is just the beginning of what could shape into a pretty amazing season in Oklahoma City.
