OKC Thunder Reach Mark of Title Contender With Win Over Suns

The Oklahoma City Thunder have reached 40 wins before 10 losses, fitting the old adage by legendary bench boss Phil Jackson who coined the 40 wins before 20 losses fitting the billing as true contenders.

Feb 1, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) stretches during free throws against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the best record in the NBA and have lived up to the preseason expectations. The Thunder are true contenders any way you slice it. The Thunder have the star-power, stats and record to back it up.

Oklahoma City for the second straight year falls into the Phil Jackson contender metric. The legendary NBA head coach theorized that to be a championship contender you must win 40 games before 20 losses. This adage has held true throughout NBA history and is still used today to differentiate good teams from great ones.

On Wednesday, the Thunder hit the 40 wins before the 20 loss mark. Only, Oklahoma City ripped those wins off before they cracked double-digit losses. An impressive feat.

Oklahoma City is the 32nd team to pull off this accomplishment. Of those teams, only 15 have gone on to win the NBA title. The most recent champion in this example is the 2017 Golden State Warriors who also did it in 2015.

The Thunder own the best record in the NBA, with a six-game cushion from the Memphis Grizzlies who are the No. 2 seed out West. Cleveland also reached 40 wins before 10 losses this season.

Up next, the Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Toronto Raptors to wrap up a four-game home stand on Friday, Feb. 7 at 7:00 PM CT.

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