yahoo - 3/18/2026 3:34:42 AM - GMT (+2 )
The Oklahoma City Thunder faced major expectations after going 68-14, securing the top playoff seed in the West and winning the NBA championship last season. An encore was going to be tough.
While there’s still work to do, the team is off to a pretty good start there.
With their 113-108 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, the Thunder have become the first NBA team this season to clinch a playoff spot.
The Thunder are the first team to clinch a playoff spot 😤
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 18, 2026
Is OKC the favorite to lift the chip? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mUBK11Ekz9
It’s an accomplishment worth celebrating, even if making the playoffs is a low bar for the defending NBA champions.
The Thunder, of course, are in position to once again secure a high seed in the Western Conference. After Tuesday’s win, Oklahoma City improved to 54-15. That’s the best record in the NBA at the moment. The Thunder are arguably playing their best basketball right now, riding a nine-game winning streak.
For all their success this season, Mark Daigneault’s team looks far more vulnerable compared to last year. After losing just 14 games in the regular season, the Thunder have already lost more games this year.
There are reasons for that. Oklahoma City lost MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for nine games in the middle of the season due to an abdominal injury. The team has also been without Jalen Williams for much of the season. He’s played in just 26 games due to a hamstring issue.
While Williams’ status remains up in the air as the playoffs approach, Gilgeous-Alexander returned from his injury without missing a beat and continues to produce at an MVP level.
As long as Gilgeous-Alexander remains healthy the rest of the way, the Thunder will be a threat to make yet another deep playoff run. Repeating was always going to be difficult, but — even after being battled-tested much of the season — the Thunder are still in excellent shape to keep that dream alive.
read more