Can OKC Thunder Fend Off Spurs, Pistons for NBA's Best Winning Percentage?

After earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference each of the past two seasons, Oklahoma City appeared poised to do so once again in 2025-26.

The Thunder was fresh off an NBA championship, and returned virtually the entire roster from a team that won it all. Due to injuries and improved competition across the Western Conferenece, though, the West's top spot hasn't come as easy for OKC this time around.

Mark Daigneault's team is 44-14 on the season and still is atop the conference, but Oklahoma City leads the second-place San Antonio Spurs by just 2.5 games. Following a victory against the Detriot Pistons, Victor Wembenyama and company have notched a 41-16 record.

In 2024-25, the Thunder finished 68-14 and held a 16-game advantage against the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets. In addition to the Thunder not reaching 68 wins this time around, the Western Conference is more competitive, as San Antonio has emerged into a realistic contender.

OKC has a tough stretch upcoming, and while the group is still in a solid position to have good seeding in the postseason, a few too many slip ups could cost Oklahoma City the top seed. The Thunder's next three games are against Toronto, Detroit and Denver, meaning the team could lose the No. 1 spot with a bad week combined with an unscathed showing from the Spurs.

Oklahoma City lost just two games in the Paycom Center during the 2024-25 postseason, and would receive significant value in earning the NBA's top seed to receive home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

To do that, though, the Thunder will have to survive a brutal end-of-season schedule that sees the team meet Detroit twice, Denver three times, Boston twice, New York twice and the Lakers twice.

San Antonio isn't the only team threaten OKC for the NBA's best record, as the Detroit Pistons are also just a few games back. The Pistons are 42-14 this season, and hold a .750 winning percentage, just .009 behind the Thunder.

While Oklahoma City could still earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference without holding the best record, finishing with the NBA's top mark would give OKC home-court advantage in a potential finals matchup between the two teams.

The Thunder will be able to help its cause in the coming months with matchups against the Pistons on Feb. 25 and March 30.

Oklahoma City could receive a major boost late this week, as well, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell set to be reevaluated in upcoming days.

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