With every passing day, the OKC Thunder only further prove themselves to be the most dominant and well-rounded team in the NBA.
From their electrifying 13.0 net rating and 106.1 defensive rating to their astonishingly deep talent pool headlined by MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, it truly should come as no surprise that Oklahoma City is currently viewed as the odds-on favorite to be crowned NBA Champions
However, a recent achievement by this team suggests that taking home the Larry O'Brien Trophy come the conclusion of the 2024-25 season is a virtual lock.
At least, that seems to be what history suggests.
OKC Thunder join exclusive club that only includes past NBA Champions
With their 132-111 win over the Indiana Pacers this past Saturday, the Thunder officially claimed their 48 double-digit win of the year. As a result of such a feat, they join just four other teams in league history to record 46 or more wins by 10 or more points in a single season.
Now, while this alone is an accomplishment that deserves to be celebrated and highlighted, when considering the group they've attached themselves to, fans should especially be excited by the fact that every team to have done so throughout the game's history has gone on to win that year's NBA Championship.
This exclusive club's members are:
* 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers (50 double-digit wins)
* 2016-17 Golden State Warriors (48 double-digit wins)
* 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks (47 double-digit wins)
* 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (46 double-digit wins)
Of course, being intertwined with past title-winners in a regular season statistic doesn't necessarily mean history is bound to repeat itself. That said, this latest feat only reinforces just how historically ferocious this OKC squad has been throughout this year's campaign.
To take things a step further, on top of the fact that they recently tied arguably the greatest assortment of talent ever assembled in the association's history in the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors with double-digit wins, they have actually spent more minutes this season leading by 15 or more points than they have spent trailing opponents (884 compared to 855).
Add this to their highest average point differential in league history (13.16), and not only is it safe to say that the Thunder are more than worthy of heading into the postseason as the top-seed out West but, by the looks of it, seem well positioned to follow in the footsteps of their fellow 46-plus double-digit win peers and win the 2025 NBA title.