Recent close contests challenge the dominant Thunder, forging crucial late-game execution and vital lessons for their championship aspirations.
The Oklahoma City Thunder is now 21-1 on the season in what has been the franchise’s best start ever. Yet for as dominant as the record and metrics still look, the last week or so has quietly marked a shift. The Thunder is finally getting pushed.
Over the last handful of games, Golden State turned things into a true clutch-time battle and forced Oklahoma City to execute late. Before that, Portland did the same. The Thunder ended up winning by multiple possessions, but that was a close game deep into the fourth. The game before that against Phoenix went down to the wire in a four-point win. Even the matchup with Minnesota had stretches where it felt like the Wolves might have enough to hand Oklahoma City a loss.
None of this is a reason for panic, but it is worth noting. On the season, the Thunder still has the best net rating in the league and one of the best in league history. Over the last five games, though, that number is 12.1. That is still elite, but it is “only” third in the NBA over that span. Layer in the current injury situation and it becomes clear this team is beatable on any given night.
There has been a growing narrative that the Thunder is almost impossible to beat, and when the offense and defense are both humming, that is close to true. Lately, though, this group has looked more vulnerable, and Isaiah Hartenstein being sidelined is a big part of that. Jalen Williams is back and ramping up toward full comfort again, but Hartenstein’s presence is clearly being missed.
If Oklahoma City drops a game or two in the next few weeks, it should not be viewed as some major red flag. At this stage, losing can be constructive. Blowing teams out every single night is not actually the best way to build something special. Trials and failures matter in the pursuit of greatness. The recent close games have forced the Thunder to problem-solve, execute in pressure moments, and lean on its stars in different ways. The coaching staff and front office would probably tell you these are the kinds of tests a young contender needs. The Thunder keeps passing them for now, but the emergence of those tests is the trend that stands out.