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 usually 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 get pleasure from a superb conspiracy idea, 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, will probably be a giant upset if the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder don’t gather at the least six Larry O’Brien trophies from 2025 by way of 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 best way 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 report 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 turn into the primary NBA staff to ship a 26-1 begin.
Crazily sufficient, these 2015-16 Warriors have been in an analogous place the Thunder are actually. 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 way of the 2030-31 season.
Their relative youth is just one space the place the Thunder’s long-term prognosis appears to be like higher than the Warriors, who celebrated championships in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022.
Once you try all of Oklahoma Metropolis’s draft stock, it’s clear how for much longer the Thunder would possibly roll. Subsequent 12 months, OKC holds its decide together with the Philadelphia 76ers’ decide (protected 1-4) and the Utah Jazz’s alternative (protected 1-8). The Sixers are over .500 whereas the Jazz at the moment have the eighth-worst report, so that might come right down to the NBA lottery on Could 12.
(By the best way, the Thunder earned this potential lottery decide approach again in 2021 just because basic supervisor Sam Presti was keen to take backup large man Derrick Favors’ $9.7 million contract. The Jazz handed OKC their 2024 1st-round decide whereas solely getting some money and a 2nd-round decide in return. It’s certainly one of 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 decide. They’ve the Denver Nuggets’ decide until the Nuggets are within the prime 5. They get the San Antonio Spurs’ decide if it’s later than 16. Oh, they usually even have the correct to swap their 1st-round decide OR Denver’s 1st-round decide for the Los Angeles Clippers’ first decide. The Clips are terrible now (6-18) and determine to be even worse subsequent 12 months.
And none of this takes into consideration how the Thunder’s final two lottery choices — Nikola Subject, the twelfth decide within the 2024 draft, and Thomas Sorber, the fifteenth decide final June – have but to play a minute. They are going to make their mark as soon as Subject whips testicular most cancers and Sorber’s torn ACL heals.
Proper now, the Thunder nonetheless appear to be a secret. Possibly they must 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 Evening 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.”
