The NBA-leading Oklahoma Thunder aren’t just good. They’re also ambitious. In fact, according to reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he and his Thunder teammates will “absolutely” go for the wins record—or any other accolade, for that matter—if it’s there.
“Absolutely,” Gilgeous-Alexander answered when asked during the NBA Cup media availability on Saturday if the Golden State Warriors’ all-time record of 73-9 means anything to the defending champs. “Winning matters. And no matter what form it looks like to me. So absolutely.”
Thunder Are on Pace for History
At 24-1 as of press time, the Thunder have tied the Warriors for the best start in NBA history through 25 games. OKC is also on a 16-game winning run with a ridiculous +17.4 point differential, underscoring the team’s dominance so far this season.
The Thunder have been so dominant this season that they have won 17 games by at least 10 points, allowing coach Mark Daigneault to rest SGA in several fourth quarters. Oklahoma City’s 17 double-digit wins thus far put them second only to the Boston Celtics, who had 19 such wins through 25 games in the 2007-08 season.
But, while dominant, the Thunder have a long way to go. For comparison, the 2015-16 Warriors won 29 of their first 30 games en route to breaking the Chicago Bulls’ 72-10 mark, set in the 1995-96 season. That Dubs team also won 36 of their first 38 games to underscore their own dominance that season. But the Thunder appear on their way to replicating that strong start themselves.
Get Better Mindset Could Lead to History
Then again, if there’s a team that could reset the NBA’s all-time regular season wins total, it’s probably OKC. Already playing great basketball, Gilgeous-Alexander and the rest of the Thunder are still hungry for improvement—and improving, according to the MVP, is something he and his teammates are always looking to do.
“We are trying to be a better version of ourselves every night we go out there, and we like to hunt in that form,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “If we didn’t get better tonight, then we wasted an opportunity. That’s kind of how we see it.”
Of course, the chase for records and the desire to keep improving are, in a way, the Thunder’s sub-goals. The ultimate goal, when it all comes down to it, is to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy again at season’s end.
