3 shocking Thunder statistics that have led to undefeated start

After taking part in a highly successful and record-setting campaign in 2023-24, the OKC Thunder find themselves off to a scorching hot start during their follow-up season in 2024-25.

Through nearly two weeks of play, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company are one of only two teams that have yet to lose, boasting an undefeated record of 4-0.

Along the way, they've squared off against opponents of varying league-wide statuses.

From true title contenders like the Denver Nuggets to expected cellar dwellers such as the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City has played a wide array of foes through these early stages of the season, and, ultimately, each succumbed to the same fate -- a loss against the reigning top-seeds.

While these triumphs have been the result of a full team effort, when delving into the advanced metrics there are a few statistics, in particular, that have played a major role in their unblemished record thus far.

Shocking statistics that have helped Thunder to 4-0 record

OKC has three top-10 starters in plus-minus

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may get the lion's share of attention when it comes to Thunder buzz, but this team is far more than just one individual.

Frankly, there's a strong case to be made that Oklahoma City is the deepest team in the entire league, as they regularly are going 10 men deep with their rotations this season and, among these contributors, three consistent starters find themselves ranking in the top-10 in plus-minus rating.

As things currently stand, SGA rings in at fifth (14.5), while Cason Wallace (11.5) and Chet Holmgren (11.0) fall a few spots behind at ninth and tenth, respectively.

Top-ranked defensive unit in the league

With the additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein joining forces with the likes of Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren, coming into the season this Thunder defense was being heavily hyped up, with some going as far as to say they could realistically end up becoming the greatest unit on the less glamorous side of the ball the game has ever seen.

While it's certainly far too early to brand them as such, what we've seen from OKC through four games of action has been nothing short of elite.

From their averages of 9.0 blocks and 13.8 steals, and the fact that they're holding opposing teams to the lowest point per game averages this season at 94.8, Mark Daigneault's squad is playing like an absolutely menacing force on the defensive end.

With all this in mind, it shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that the Thunder register in with the highest defensive rating in the entire league at 91.3. Without these top-flight efforts, they may likely have already added at least one game to their loss column, as their 23-ranked offensive rating (108.5) and 17-ranked points per game averages of 112.3 have left much to be desired.

5 Thunder rank within top-10 in defensive rating

As mentioned already, the Thunder as a collective have proven themselves to be the best defensive unit currently in the league, but the elite individual performances that this team has seen so far have been equally as mesmerizing.

Through roughly two weeks of play, there are a whopping five Oklahoma City players who rank in the top 10 in defensive rating: Cason Wallace (No. 2), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 3), Chet Holmgren (No. 4), Luguentz Dort (No. 6), Jalen Williams (No. 9).

The only other organization to have multiple players fall into the top 15 in defensive rating is the Golden State Warriors.