At this point, it seems like the Oklahoma City Thunder are on the cusp of entering elite company with every game. They are on pace to somehow surpass even last season's success, and at this point, it might be boring to hear of another record they have matched or broken.
However, with their win over the Golden State Warriors last night, the Thunder matched a feat only accomplished twice in NBA history: a 30-5 or better start in consecutive seasons.
RARE AIR FOR OKC: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder can become the third franchise to start 30-5 or better in consecutive seasons with a victory against the Golden State Warriors tonight at 10:00pm/et on Prime. If OKC extends their winning streak to four, they… pic.twitter.com/eFJxWYoXzJ
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
While their win over the banged-up Warriors was certainly not their most impressive victory of the season, it takes on an additional importance in the context of what Oklahoma City is looking to accomplish.
In order to become a dynasty, one must match or exceed the sustained success of their predecessors.
The Thunder are rolling on, and the Warriors were just the unfortunate victims
With their convincing win over Golden State, 131-94, the Thunder have now won four straight since their loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Christmas Day. While concerns surrounding those Spurs defeats certainly still linger, it is clear that Oklahoma City has at least found their footing again.
They have done so in convincing fashion, putting together a 24.3 net rating over that span.
However, the Warriors were down Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, De'Anthony Melton, and Jonathan Kuminga on the first half of a back-to-back. It is not the dominance in this single game that is ultimately impressive.
Instead, the victory is a signifier of sustained dominance across multiple seasons, and that is wholly impressive.
When a team wins a championship in the NBA, the tides very quickly turn against them. They enter the following season with a target on their backs, and suddenly they become the most prominent measuring stick for opposing teams.
In the modern financial landscape of the NBA, cap and apron issues are also designed to prevent a team from hoarding and maintaining talent over a long period of time.
When the Thunder were on the rise, many speculated that Sam Presti's masterful collection of young talent and draft capital would enable the organization to survive these tides. Theoretically, they had the potential to be the NBA's first true dynasty since the Warriors.
Theoretically, however, is one thing. Oklahoma City is proving they are capable of that sustained success on a game-by-game basis, and their 30-5 start to the season is just the latest example of that fact.
For it to come against the Warriors is almost too perfect a storyline.