How much further can the Thunder extend 15-game win streak?
During a fourth-quarter possession in a close game against the Celtics on Sunday, Thunder forward Jalen Williams initially guarded Kristaps Porzingis before switching onto Jaylen Brown following a dribble-handoff on the right wing. Williams then cut off Brown's driving lanes and forced him to pass out to Porzingis, who clanked a deep contested three.
Boston's offense relies on individual creation and drive-and-kick, but the Celtics didn't enter the paint once on that possession. The Thunder's defense shut down Boston's attack all afternoon, holding the Celtics to a season-low 27 second-half points en route to a franchise-record 15th straight win.
Oklahoma City is atop the West at 30-5 and is the NBA's most dominant and deepest team despite being just two years removed from missing the postseason. The Thunder's win streak has a slight asterisk as they did lose to the Bucks in the NBA Cup final, but that game doesn't count as part of the regular season so it's erased from the record books.
How long can they extend their streak? First, let's look at how OKC has been able to go on this dominant run.
President of basketball operations Sam Presti assembled an Avengers-like group. Oklahoma City has a deep cast of characters that keeps coming at opponents until it's ultimately victorious, which is why the team is the favorite to win the West (+145) and on its way to securing the 1-seed in consecutive seasons.
It starts with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder's Captain America. He's a prolific driver, a mid-range monster, and a good enough 3-point shooter, which has transformed him into one of the NBA's greatest scorers. He's the favorite to win MVP (-150). His versatility translates defensively, where he's a willing defender who poses problems with his switchable 6-foot-6 frame.
The Thunder have a slew of two-way demons alongside him. They decimate opponents in waves with the likes of Williams, Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Alex Caruso. Their frontcourt consists of Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren, who's been out during OKC's win streak.
The Thunder's best-ranked defense, specifically, showed against the Celtics' second-ranked offense how it's inspired during this stretch.
Boston's offense is predicated on its elite creators driving, forcing help, and kicking to shooters, constantly putting the defense in rotation to find open threes and layups. But Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has the luxury of utilizing perimeter defenders with the size, length, and speed to switch almost everything and apply intense ball pressure.
Oklahoma City is the only team with enough one-on-one defenders capable of guarding the Celtics' wings. The Thunder don't have weak defenders that the Celtics can exploit. Even Hartenstein and Holmgren (when healthy) can guard in space.
OKC has the NBA's best opponent turnover rate and leads the league in steals. The Thunder also lead the NBA in points off turnovers. On the other side, they turn the ball over less than any other team. It's hard to beat a team that values possession as much as the Thunder.
Boston led by 10 at halftime, but OKC's daunting defense unraveled the Celtics. Sure, Boston shot 12% from three in the second half, but the Thunder's defense deserves credit for forcing tough threes.
Oklahoma City did the same thing two nights prior. It wore down the Knicks in the second half and stormed back from a double-digit deficit after holding New York to 19 fourth-quarter points.
The Thunder are 9-4 when trailing by double digits, according to NBA.com. Their swarming, physical, and connected defense has led to a league-best 12.1 net rating, which would be the second best in NBA history behind the '96 Bulls. Of course, it helps to have a top-10 offense and the leading MVP candidate averaging 31.3 points per game, the third most behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic.
Few teams have reached win streaks into the high teens or 20s, and the Thunder have a difficult schedule ahead as they approach rarified air only all-time great squads have touched. So, which team will hand Oklahoma City its first loss since Dec. 1?
Thunder's next loss odds
| Opponent | Date | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| @ Cavs | 1/8 | -140 |
| @ Knicks | 1/10 | +225 |
| @ Wizards | 1/12 | +2800 |
| @ Sixers | 1/14 | +900 |
| vs. Cavs | 1/16 | +1800 |
| @ Mavericks | 1/17 | +2800 |
| vs. Nets | 1/19 | +15000 |
The Thunder are 11-0 against the East after wins over the contending Celtics and Knicks. Their Eastern Conference onslaught continues against the Cavaliers, who are an NBA-best 31-4 and one of four teams with a top-10 offense and defense - the others being the Thunder, Celtics, and Grizzlies.
While Oklahoma City is undefeated against the East, the Cavs are a perfect 10-0 against the West and on a 10-game win streak. Cleveland is a 2-point home favorite for Wednesday's much-anticipated showdown. The Cavs embarked on their own 15-game win streak to open the season.
If the Thunder escape the Cavs, they have a rematch against the Knicks on the road. They'll approach historic territory if they emerge from this week's games unscathed. However, oddsmakers expect Oklahoma City's hot run to end in Cleveland.
Only five teams in NBA history have won at least 20 straight games, and three of them went on to win the title. The Thunder are still far from those historical marks, but they've looked unbeatable for the past month.
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.