Draymond Green Reveals Secret For OKC Thunder to Unlock a Dynasty

Dynasties are special. They built the NBA. From the Boston Celtics to the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls in the 90s and most recently the Golden State Warriors who ruled the 2010s and felt unbeatable 2014-19 before winning another in 2022.

However, the league has lacked a true power house. For the first time ever, the association is in a parity era, with seven straight seasons of a new champion being crowned and the last back-to-back winner being those Bay Area Ballers in 2019. In fact, the past six champions have failed to even make it out of the second round.

The seventh champion? The Oklahoma City Thunder, who hoisted their first ever Larry O'Brien trophy last June and were the second youngest roster to ever take home the hardware. As they bring back 99% of last year's title team, they are a popular pick to win the 2026 championship with whispers of a potential dynasty already bubbling up.

On Tuesday, the OKC Thunder waxed the Golden State Warriors 126-102, bringing the Bricktown Ballers record to 11-1. Picking up right where they left off from last year's 68 win squad.

As Draymond Green took the podium on Tuesday night following this beat down, the veteran big man who was a key part of the Warriors dynasty was asked simply: How? What makes a team be able to outlast the ever-changing league and have a rule over the NBA?

"You have to like each other, which you can tell they love each other, which leads to all the magic. You have to understand roles, which they definitely understand their roles," Green said. "They got their top dog, they got their No. 2, everybody come in and they know their role. From Shai to No. 23 to Brooks. Everybody understands their roles. That's the way it has to be to win in this league. They are a well-oiled machine. They kinda just plug-and-play, which is how we were during those times"

The similarities between the two franchises are growing, it is up to the Thunder to match their winning ways come April. Though, their style of play each involve these avalanche runs to bury opponents. Of course, the Warriors did that but tossing in countless triples at a rate we had never seen before. The Thunder do it on the defensive end, piling up turnovers, stops and transition buckets to get games out of hand and demoralizing the opposition.

That is what happened on Tuesday, as the short handed Thunder went on a 33-15 run in the second frame and carried that momentum into the third quarter to make the final 12 minutes resemble a G League game with both sides emptying their bench.

"When you have a leader that has that commitment to excellence day in and day out that Shai does, everyone else has to fall in line. They're doing that and it's special to watch," The Warriors veteran said. "They're down Lu Dort, [Jalen Williams], Kenrich Williams, Aaron Wiggins, who I think is their X-factor. It didn't seem like they were down anybody. That's a level of excellence in order to reach the over and over again that you must have. They got that."

As Green points out, despite missing their No. 2 second option who was an All-NBA and All-Defensive member, a second All-defensive guard and their best bench scorer, the Thunder were able to knock out the Warriors in this contest. A special feat that has become normalized in Bricktown.

This Oklahoma City Thunder team is special. Enjoy it.