In 2008, legendary head coach Phil Jackson proposed that a team must win 40 games before losing 20 to be considered "elite." Through 53 games played in 2024-25, the OKC Thunder seem to have created and simultaneously broken their own new 40-10 rule, as they currently boast a 44-9 record.
With this, it's evident that Oklahoma City is shaping up to be far more than just another exciting ball club but, rather, a serious favorite to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy come season's end.
Frankly, when looking at the history of the league, one could make a case that they're destined to do so based on one specific statistic.
OKC Thunder thrust into uncharted territory with current net rating
According to StatMuse, heading into this campaign, only four teams throughout the league's 79 seasons registered a net rating above 11.5 in a single year: the 1995-96 and 1996-97 Chicago Bulls (13.4 & 12.0), the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors (11.6), and, most recently, the 2023-24 Boston Celtics (11.6).
As things currently stand, the Thunder are officially on pace to become just the fifth team to accomplish such a feat. More impressive, their 13.5 mark ranks as the best net rating of all time.
What's notable about the aforementioned four teams that have already cemented their place on this net rating leaderboard is that they all went on to win the NBA Finals that same season.
Considering OKC is atop these ranks, wouldn't it only be fair to assume that they, too, should go on to experience ultimate glory themselves?
What makes these expectations even stronger is the fact that, per these same findings, all but one team that has registered a rating of 11.0 or higher wound up winning an NBA Championship, with the lone exception being the 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs.
To top all of this off, it's worth mentioning that the Thunder have produced at such a high level without playing a single game at full strength so far this season.
From rookie standout Ajay Mitchell's ongoing absence with a toe injury and Alex Caruso's continual ailments to Chet Holmgren only recently making his way back to the hardwood following a three-month shelving, Oklahoma City has constantly rolled out a rotation at sub-100 percent health.
Yet, despite this, they're currently reigning supreme in a statistical category featuring nothing but championship-winning squads.
If history suggests that this bruised and battered ball club could be heading toward their first title since migrating to the Sooner State in 2008, what might a fully intact rotation be able to accomplish?