The OKC Thunder are in the midst of the franchises' best season to date.
Currently sitting at a team-record .815 winning percentage and 12 games ahead of the second-seeded Grizzlies, Oklahoma City has separated itself from the rest of the Western Conference pack.
However, just because the data suggests the Thunder are a special squad, this doesn't make them untouchable.
Within their own conference, there are a number of teams that have and could continue to give them a serious challenge during this daunting final stretch of the regular season, and there are three, in particular, they should have on their radar as the playoffs approach.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are certainly a force to be reckoned with, considering they are the only team on this list that has won a championship with its current core and have a player on the level of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Nikola Jokic.
With him being backed by a star-studded supporting cast of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, Michael Porter Jr., and Thunder all-timer Russell Westbrook, this rotation is no joke.
If a team is lucky enough to roster a player of Jokic's caliber, it's safe to say that team isn't an ideal opponent.
The now 30-year-old is on pace to average a triple-double for the first time in his career (29.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, 10.4 assists), smashing through yet another stat-sheet stuffing ceiling. From his elite vision to his clunky yet unstoppable scoring repertoire, his ability to take over a game in a multitude of ways has reached an unfamiliar territory for the rest of the NBA.
Denver is one of two teams in the association that shoots better from distance (38.4) and scores more points per game (121.5) than OKC. This offensive efficiency is backed by the league's best assist-to-turnover ratio at 21.2.
Beating the Thunder at their own game is something not many teams are capable of, but the stats suggest that Denver could.
Los Angeles Lakers
After giving up Anthony Davis and Max Christie for Luka Doncic ahead of February's trade deadline, many were skeptical about the Lakers' viability as an immediate contender.
Many were proven wrong.
Many believed that swapping the all-world defender in Davis for the widely considered defensive weak link in Doncic would bring struggles to Los Angeles's defense. However, the team's defensive rating in Doncic's 13 games played is 111.5, improved from their previous mark of 115.1 with the All-Star big in tow.
Somehow, Los Angeles has figured out how to improve its defense while adding one of the league's most dynamic offensive forces.
Doncic joined forces with LeBron James to create one of the deadliest offensive duos in recent history.
Question marks were initially raised about how the pair would fit together on the court, as their skill sets severely overlap -- each imposes physicality on defenders, taking turns exploiting mismatches at will.
Along with diverse scoring palates, both also have elite passing vision that very few others in the league can match. Doncic's ability to take over an offense seems to have revitalized James, bringing out the best of him throughout their short-lived time together.
Going into the season, the Lakers weren't on many radars for championship contention. However, now with a brand new trio of James, Doncic, and the surprise standout Austin Reaves, the Thunder should be taking notice.
Golden State Warriors
Much like the Lakers, Golden State's big trade deadline addition has turned their season around.
Swapping Andrew Wiggins and other pieces for six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler got Steph Curry a running mate that this team had been longing for since Klay Thompson's departure this past summer.
His addition brings even more postseason experience to a team that already had a ton of it, while Butler, Curry, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, and Steve Kerr make up a strict identity of winning.
This could be the perfect match to take down a relatively green Thunder team with a core that has seen just one playoff run together.
Butler, who's averaging 17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per night out in the Bay Area, has won 13 of the 14 games he's played with the Warriors.
His on-court fit with the team has been seamless so far, slotting in nicely as the team's second option behind Curry. His ability to create his own shot far surpasses anyone else on the team aside from Steph, allowing them to stay afloat when their all-time cornerstone takes a breather.
In their last 10 games, the Warriors' newfound offense has led them to an elite 122.4 offensive rating. On the other side of the ball, a shutdown defense has resulted in a 109.8 defensive rating during this same span.
The combination of winning experience, high-performing superstars, and elite play on both sides of the court is one that creates a scary formula for the rest of the league. The Warriors have proven before that they can't be slept on. The Thunder must understand that this year is no different.