Thunder challenge Warriors' 73-win miracle! Thunder start season strong with 21 wins in 22 games: breaking records and defending title?

On December 3rd Beijing time, the Thunder beat the Warriors 124-112 away, securing their 13th consecutive win and improving to 21-1 this season, maintaining their position at the top of the league. A popular discussion is whether the Thunder can surpass the Warriors' 73-win record from years ago? The NBA website has also explored this question —

The Thunder’s current form defies the usual or expected. Their rise opens endless possibilities and raises two reasonable questions about this unstoppable team’s regular season trajectory: How far can they go? And can they maintain this momentum until the end? This directly relates to the Thunder’s chances of making history. Starting the season with a remarkable 21-1 record, especially with their best All-NBA caliber star recently returning from injury, is enough to shock the entire league.

A quarter of the season has passed, and at this pace, the Thunder not only have a shot at the NBA single-season win record but could achieve it in a highly dominant manner. Clearly, the key premise is "at this pace" — because maintaining the Thunder’s current hot streak over the next four-plus months will be difficult. Even so, their performance is already impressive. Coincidentally, the opponent they defeated today was the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who famously won 73 games and were thought to hold that record for years.

Back then, after the Warriors broke the 72-win record set by Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who was also a member of that Bulls team, said: “I just told the players, I never thought this record would ever be broken. I thought it was like DiMaggio’s consecutive hits record — unbreakable. Turns out I was wrong, but I still want to repeat what I said 20 years ago — ‘I think this new record will never be broken again.’ To break it, you have to go 74-8, and I just don’t see any team doing that.”

For the Thunder to match the record, they need to go 52-8 in the remaining games; to break it, they must at least finish 53-7. From this perspective, Kerr’s statement is understandable — it’s an extremely high bar. Even for this young, deep, and long-competitive defending champion team, many factors need to align perfectly to achieve this.

However, the Thunder still have the confidence to chase the record, and the league is buzzing about whether they can surpass last season’s performance. Alexander is like Curry was for the Warriors — Curry became the first unanimous MVP that season. Alexander is the superstar essential for the Thunder to enter the "record discussion." His main strength lies in scoring, currently averaging 32.8 points per game, ranking second in the league.

This season differs in that his playing time has been reduced; he often rests after three quarters. This helps him conserve energy and reduce injury risk, preserving stamina for the long season — a luxury for the team. Imagine Alexander staying healthy without needing to play full games due to early blowouts; this greatly increases the Thunder’s chances of breaking the record. With a key teammate returning, his “three-quarter” playing pattern is easier to maintain.

Speaking of returns, Jaylen Williams recently came back after missing the first 19 games due to wrist surgery and is currently regaining form. He hasn’t yet found his best rhythm, which ironically benefits the Thunder — not only compared to other teams but also in their pursuit of the record.

He admitted, “I can always give my all on defense and find my groove there, but offense still needs time. I haven’t played official games for a long time, and the wrist recovery had many behind-the-scenes challenges. I’m still adjusting my shooting and dribbling feel, trying to regain rhythm, and that will improve gradually over the season.” You might have forgotten, Williams broke out last season, averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, improving on both ends and shining in the playoffs, scoring 40 points in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Holmgren and Hartenstein are a well-coordinated frontcourt duo who consistently trouble opponents. Offensively, they don’t interfere with each other; defensively, they form a solid barrier. For Holmgren, this is his first full season free from injuries since entering the league, currently performing well with averages of 18.4 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks without needing to play 30 minutes per game.

When other aspects falter, the Thunder always rely on defense. Their defensive efficiency remains among the league’s best this season, with relentless pressure like a tidal wave. Only a few teams can field multiple scorers capable of seriously threatening the Thunder’s defense. Furthermore, Thunder players are versatile in positions, making it hard for opponents to exploit matchups. Many players can guard multiple spots, and even if someone faces foul trouble, the team adapts easily. Remember, in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, they assigned Caruso to guard Jokic.

The deep roster is the Thunder’s key to victory. Although Alexander’s star power is unmatched by most teams, what truly makes them tough to beat is their overall squad. Throughout the season, coach Daganot can freely adjust lineups to match opponents, and more importantly, this prevents starters from overexertion. Ajayi Mitchell is currently the team’s third-leading scorer but may drop in rank when Jaylen Williams regains form. Players like Aaron Wiggins, Caruso, Isaiah Joe, and Jalen Williams are all capable and step up when needed. Many bench players could start on weaker teams, meaning if the Thunder split into two squads, the second team would likely still compete in the tough Western play-in tournament.

Of course, the Thunder might miss the record. The biggest variable is injury risk, especially if Alexander suffers a major injury or multiple key players are sidelined simultaneously. Considering the team also has more important goals, like defending the championship, the Thunder will inevitably prioritize accordingly. The 2015-16 Warriors had a different roster structure but similar impact because they stayed relatively healthy and motivated. Curry and Klay were the only steady scorers, but they had deep depth and strong defense. The Warriors started 24-0, went 36-2 in their first 38 games, never lost consecutive games all season, and their wins were strung together in waves.

When the record chase became tangible, the entire Warriors team gave their all, knowing such an opportunity is rare. Green said, “Since we have to play 82 games anyway, we might as well go all out to win.” However, the record soon became a burden due to high external expectations. Klay said, “If we can’t hold it together in the playoffs, the record means nothing.” They failed to do so, as LeBron’s Cavaliers came back from a 1-3 deficit to win the Finals. Green later admitted he never wanted to push so hard again just for a win record. That offseason, the Warriors signed Kevin Durant, making the strong even stronger — a move controversial at the time. Now, the Thunder hold the Clippers’ 2026 first-round pick, likely a lottery pick, promising for the future.

The Thunder’s upcoming schedule is relatively light for months, which is advantageous. They won’t face their biggest Western rival, the Denver Nuggets, until February 2; the Rockets on January 16; the Lakers on February 10; and the Eastern leader Pistons on February 26. Near the regular season’s end, if the record chase remains viable, they face five tough games in the last 10 days, including two against the Lakers, one against the Nuggets, and finishing against a surging Suns team. They might need to sprint hard late in the season, but their perfect 21-1 start has already given them a strong advantage.

Daganot said, “We want to build a resilient, balanced, and united foundation. We hope when people watch this team, they think, ‘This team really plays great team basketball.’ I believe we have already achieved that.”