The OKC Thunder have been punching above their weight class for a while now. They have played nearly every game at less than full strength while dealing with a plethora of injuries throughout the season.
Yet, amid these injury-induced struggles, the narrative has remained the same: Just wait until the Thunder get healthy.
Nearly three-quarters of the way through the campaign, though, it's time for OKC to come to terms with reality.
Inevitable return to health is not so inevitable for Thunder
For months now, NBA personalities have talked about the Thunder's title chances when they get healthy, but it might be more of an if.
The truth of the matter is that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company played two more months of basketball than a majority of teams last season. Other legitimate title contenders like the Spurs and Pistons had a near six-month break to rest, get healthy, and develop before the start of the new year.
The Thunder, meanwhile, had just four.
As a result, Oklahoma City's health problems have been getting worse, not better. The epidemic hit a new low on Wednesday night when they finished their most recent game against the Detroit Pistons with their top six scorers injured.
With Isaiah Joe getting hurt mid-game in the loss, the Thunder are now in danger of facing the Nuggets on Friday night with Aaron Wiggins as their top scorer and Lu Dort as the only healthy everyday starter.
Thunder have an uphill battle no one wants to talk about
On paper, the Thunder are a championship team. If NBA 2K were to simulate the rest of the season, OKC would likely be crowned as the 2026 champions.
Unfortunately for coach Mark Daigneault's squad, though, real life requires a human element that makes repeating nearly impossible.
Over the past 20 years, only three teams have been able to win back-to-back titles, and they all were led by some of the greatest players in NBA history. Outside of Kobe Bryant and modern-day legends LeBron James and Steph Curry, no other star in the past two decades has accomplished such a feat.
While the Thunder have fully committed to the last leg of their regular-season schedule and to rehabbing for the playoffs, the extended absence of their core players has sparked questions about their readiness to defend their title.
As the postseason nears, concerns will continue to mount if key contributors remain missing in action. If OKC is not careful, players who have gone weeks without seeing the floor will suddenly be expected to log heavy minutes in a do-or-die environment.