NBA 2K26 Season Sim Makes Bold Prediction for OKC Thunder

The basketball world is at a standstill until the league resumes with training camps at the end of the month. With the release of NBA 2K26 let's simulate a season for the Oklahoma City Thunder to see how things shake out.

NBA 2K26 | NBA 2K

The Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping to repeat as NBA champions. While that is always a challenging task, never has it been as difficult as current day. The league is sitting in the midst of a parity era for the first time in NBA history. The previous seven winners have failed to make it out of the second-round.

While the NBA world is at a stand still awaiting for training camps to open up at the end of the month, the release of the new NBA 2K video game, NBA 2K26, serves as a hold-over until the real thing begins.

This weekend, as the game released, we set up a season simulation that features no new injuries or trades. Just a flat-out simulation of how things currently stand. Let's dive into the interesting results as we take you through the regular season, postseason, award season and see if the Thunder accomplish their goals in the digital space.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, NBA 2K26 | NBA 2K

NBA 2K26 Season Simulation

Western Conference Standings

1. L.A. Clippers (62-20)
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (59-23) 
3. Dallas Mavericks (57-25) 
4. Houston Rockets (53-29)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (52-30)
6. Golden State Warriors (49-33) 
7. Denver Nuggets (49-33) 
8. San Antonio Spurs (45-37) 
9. Phoenix Suns (44-38) 
10. Sacramento Kings (42-40) 
11. Los Angeles Lakers (38-44) 
12. Portland Trail Blazers (31-51) 
13. New Orleans Pelicans (29-53) 
14. Memphis Grizzlies (29-53) 
15. Utah Jazz (21-61)

Eastern Conference Standings

1. New York Knicks (57-25) 
2. Atlanta Hawks (53-29)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (53-29) 
4. Detroit Pistons (51-31) 
5. Indiana Pacers (44-38) 
6. Chicago Bulls (41-41) 
7. Boston Celtics (41-41) 
8. Milwaukee Bucks (38-44) 
9. Orlando Magic (37-45) 
10. Miami Heat (35-47) 
11. Toronto Raptors (35-47) 
12. Philadelphia 76ers (30-52) 
13. Charlotte Hornets (22-60) 
14. Brooklyn Nets (20-62) 
15. Washington Wizards (11-71)

The regular season in the Western Conference got wacky. The Oklahoma City Thunder had a tough time recovering from an 11-10 start to the season to climb up the ladder. Though, in the Eastern Conference the lone true outlier is the Orlando Magic falling to the No. 9 seed despite being projected as a home court advantage squad ahead of this season.

The NBA Playoffs simulated at a more realistic level in the video game world than the regular season did with still some surprises along the way.

NBA Playoff Results

First Round:

• 1) L.A. Clippers vs. 8) Denver Nuggets: Clippers in 7
• 4) Houston Rockets vs. 5) OKC Thunder: Thunder Sweep
• 3) Dallas Mavericks vs. 6) Golden State Warriors: Dallas in 6
• 2) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. 7) San Antonio Spurs: Timberwolves in 5
• 1) New York Knicks vs. 8) Milwaukee Bucks: Knicks in 5
• 4) Detroit Pistons vs. 5) Indiana Pacers: Pacers Sweep 
• 3) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 6) Chicago Bulls: Cavaliers in Seven
• 2) Atlanta Hawks vs. 7) Boston Celtics: Atlanta Hawks Sweep

Second Round

• 1) L.A. Clippers vs. 5) OKC Thunder: Thunder in six
• 2) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. 3) Dallas Mavericks: Dallas in Seven
• 1) New York Knicks vs. 5) Indiana Pacers: New York Knicks in seven
• 2) Atlanta Hawks vs. 3) Cleveland Cavaliers: Cleveland sweeps

Conference Finals

• 3) Dallas Mavericks vs. 5) OKC Thunder: Thunder in Seven; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander WCF MVP
• 1) New York Knicks vs. 3) Cleveland Cavaliers: Cavaliers in Six; Donovan Mitchell ECF MVP

NBA Finals

• 3) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 5) OKC Thunder: Thunder in Six; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander NBA Finals MVP

In this simulation the Oklahoma City Thunder represent the NBA's first repeat winners in eight years. Gilgeous-Alexander bags his second straight NBA Finals MVP award averaging 30 points, three rebounds, seven assists and two steals per game while shooting 59% from the floor, 26% from the 3-point line and 95% at the charity stripe.

NBA Awards

• NBA MVP: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
• NBA Rookie of the Year: Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
• NBA Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
• NBA Sixth Man of the Year: Russell Westbrook, Sacramento Kings
• NBA Most Improved Player: Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
• NBA Clutch Player of the Year: Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
• NBA Coach of the Year: Ty Lue, L.A. Clippers
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander All-NBA First-Team
• Lu Dort, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren: All-Defensive Second-Team
• Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber: All-Rookie Second-Team

Jokic gets back on top of the NBA world with his fourth MVP honor, only Gilgeous-Alexander made the All-Star team for Oklahoma City in this simulation and it is stunning to see Morant be tabbed as the most clutch player while playing for the 29 win Grizzlies.