Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (left) and Jalen Williams both earned All-Star nods and All-NBA team selections in 2024-25.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are seeking their first NBA title and as they make their push for a championship, it’s worth examining how their current roster stacks up against past title-winning teams.
Here are eight qualities the 2024-25 team has that align with the traits of historically successful NBA teams.
1. Most regular-season wins (68-14)
- Why this trait matters: Throughout NBA history, the team that finished the regular season with the league’s best record went on to win the championship 47.4% of the time (37 times in 78 seasons).
- This is similar to: The 2023-24 Celtics. Last season’s champs (64 wins) finished seven games better than the next teams in the regular-season standings (OKC and Denver, 57 wins) and went on to win the title. This season, OKC (68) finished four games ahead of all other teams (Cleveland, 64).
2. Win percentage (.829)
- Why this trait matters: The Thunder became the seventh team to post a win percentage of .829 or higher in league history. Four of the first six teams to do so went on to win the championship in the same season.
- This is similar to: The 1996-97 Bulls. That Chicago squad (69-13, .841) is the last team to reach that win percentage in the regular season and win the title — and did so in back-to-back seasons (1995-96 Bulls, .878). The other two teams to pull it off? The 1971-72 Lakers and 1966-67 Sixers.
3. Kia MVP winner
- Why this trait matters: After winning the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player award, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be the 33rd regular-season MVP winner to play in the NBA Finals in the same season since the award was first introduced in the 1955-56 season. In the previous 32 instances, the MVP’s team has gone 23-9.
- This is similar to: The 2014-15 Warriors. The last player to win MVP and the championship in the same season was Stephen Curry in 2014-15. It was Curry’s first MVP honor and first NBA championship, the same double-up Gilgeous-Alexander is looking to pull off after winning his first MVP this season.
4. Scoring champion (Gilgeous-Alexander: 32.7 ppg)
- Why this trait matters: Playoff series become chess matches, with teams making moves and countermoves to try to slow down the opponents’ best options. Having an elite scoring threat who can put up points against varying defenses can be the ultimate move.
- This is similar to: The 1999-2000 Lakers. In NBA history, only five players have won the scoring title and the NBA title in the same season. Michael Jordan did it all six of his title runs, George Mikan did it twice and Joe Fulks, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal each did it once, with O’Neal being the most recent (in 1999-2000).
5. Top-ranked defense (104.7 DefRtg)
- Why this trait matters: Over the past decade, only two champions — the 2023 Nuggets and 2018 Warriors — have won the title while finishing the regular season with a defense ranked outside of the top 10. Six of the past 10 champions boasted top-five defense.
- This is similar to: The 2014-15 Warriors. Golden State is the last team to boast the league’s top defensive rating in the regular season (100.4) and win the title in the same season. Similar to the 2025 Thunder, who led the league with a 106.6 defensive rating during the regular season, both teams have been even better in the playoffs (Warriors at 98.8, Thunder at 104.7)
6. Elite offense (119.2 OffRtg)
- Why this trait matters: Over the past decade, only two champions — the 2022 Warriors and 2020 Lakers — have won the title while finishing the regular season with an offense ranked outside of the top five.
- This is similar to: The 2015-16 Cavs and the 2017-18 Warriors. The 2025 Thunder finished third in offensive rating this season (119.2), which is the same ranking as the 2016 Cavs (110.2) and the 2018 Warriors (112.8)
7. Double-digit point differential (+12.9 ppg)
- Why this trait matters: In 2024-25, the Thunder posted the highest point differential in NBA history, making them the 14th team to finish with a double-digit average point differential. Nine of the first 13 teams to do that won the championship that same season.
- This is similar to: The 1971-72 Lakers, the 1970-71 Bucks and the 1995-96 Bulls. The Thunder joined those three teams with a +12 point differential for the season. All three teams went on to win the title that season.
8. Multiple All-Stars, All-NBA and All-Defense selections
- Why this trait matters: Over the past decade, only three champions — the 2016 Cavs, the 2021 Bucks and the 2023 Nuggets — won the title while having fewer than two All-Stars in that same season. But only one team has also featured at least two All-NBA and All-Defensive Team selections.
- This is similar to: The 2014-15 Warriors. The first title run of the Golden State dynasty featured two All-Stars (Curry and Klay Thompson with Steve Kerr coaching), two All-NBA players (Curry and Thompson) and two All-Defensive Team picks (Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut).
The 2025 Thunder featured two All-Stars (Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams with Mark Daigneault coaching), two All-NBA players (Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams) and two All-Defensive Team picks (Lu Dort and Williams).
