There have been solely 3 times in NBA historical past when one franchise received at the least half of the championships over a 10-year span.
George Mikan’s Minneapolis Lakers collected 5 titles in six years (1949-54) throughout an period when the league typically consisted of a dozen groups, give or take a Sheboygan Purple Skins.
Then got here Invoice Russell’s Boston Celtics. They received eight in a row (1959-66) when the NBA fielded simply eight or 9 groups.
Within the fashionable period, there’s solely Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. They pieced collectively a pair of three-peats (1991-93, 1996-98) interrupted solely by Jordan’s flirtation with baseball. Or, for individuals who take pleasure in a great conspiracy concept, whereas Jordan was suspended for playing.
We trot out these legendary crews to place into perspective the unbelievable period that’s unfolding proper earlier than our eyes.
Frankly, it is going to be a giant upset if the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder don’t accumulate at the least six Larry O’Brien trophies from 2025 by 2035. In different phrases, the Thunder are going to win extra crowns over this 11-year span than the opposite 29 groups mixed.
After all, the Thunder have already got that first title below their belt. Now, regardless of taking part in with out No. 2 stud Jalen Williams for the primary 19 video games of the season, they’re on the way in which to the best begin in NBA historical past.
With Wednesday’s 138-89 victory over the Phoenix Suns within the NBA Cup quarterfinals, the Thunder sit at 24-1. Solely the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who set the NBA regular-season file by going 73-9, have matched this 24-1 begin.
If the Thunder win their NBA Cup semifinal towards the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday and take the NBA Cup title recreation on Tuesday, then they’ll change into the primary NBA staff to ship a 26-1 begin.
Crazily sufficient, these 2015-16 Warriors have been in the same place the Thunder at the moment are. The Warriors had a sure-fire Corridor of Fame guard in his 12 months 27 season (Steph Curry) and so do the Thunder (reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander).
Curry had a pair younger Corridor of Very Good studs driving shotgun with him in 25-year-olds Klay Thompson and Draymond Inexperienced, however SGA has a pair of 23-year-old stars alongside him in Williams and Chet Holmgren — and all three have signed contract extensions by the 2030-31 season.
Their relative youth is just one space the place the Thunder’s long-term prognosis seems better than the Warriors, who celebrated championships in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022.
While you take a look at all of Oklahoma Metropolis’s draft stock, it’s clear how for much longer the Thunder would possibly roll. Subsequent yr, OKC holds its choose together with the Philadelphia 76ers’ choose (protected 1-4) and the Utah Jazz’s alternative (protected 1-8). The Sixers are over .500 whereas the Jazz presently have the eighth-worst file, so that would come right down to the NBA lottery on Might 12.
(By the way in which, the Thunder earned this potential lottery choose method again in 2021 just because basic supervisor Sam Presti was prepared to take backup massive man Derrick Favors’ $9.7 million contract. The Jazz handed OKC their 2024 1st-round choose whereas solely getting some money and a 2nd-round choose in return. It’s one among many examples of how Presti has stayed two steps forward of the remainder of the league.)
In 2027, the Thunder’s draft prospects are much more sick. They’ve their very own choose. They’ve the Denver Nuggets’ choose until the Nuggets are within the high 5. They get the San Antonio Spurs’ choose if it’s later than 16. Oh, and so they even have the precise to swap their 1st-round choose OR Denver’s 1st-round choose for the Los Angeles Clippers’ first choose. The Clips are terrible now (6-18) and determine to be even worse subsequent yr.
And none of this takes under consideration how the Thunder’s final two lottery picks — Nikola Matter, the twelfth choose within the 2024 draft, and Thomas Sorber, the fifteenth choose final June – have but to play a minute. They’ll make their mark as soon as Matter whips testicular most cancers and Sorber’s torn ACL heals.
Proper now, the Thunder nonetheless appear to be a secret. Perhaps they should win one other title or two earlier than they begin the overexposure a part of their story arc.
We’ll know they’re getting there when Saturday Night time Reside asks SGA to host and he will get to do a sketch with a brand new period of Superfans who promise a “minimal eight-peat.”
