Nearly One Month In, Who is OKC Thunder’s Biggest Title Threat?

Oklahoma City appears to be the clear cut favorite to win the NBA championship. A season after winning the franchises first title, this team is in a good position to repeat. The Thunder have been simply dominant to start the season, and Oklahoma City’s best players have somehow gotten even better. It’s important to remember that this team is missing one of its best players in Jalen Williams, too.

The Thunder’s historic start ranks right up there with some of the best teams in NBA history. Most of the teams that have started the way that Oklahoma City has started have gone on to win the championship. Of course, it’s always harder a second time around. They’ll have to have injury luck and continue to peak as the season wears on, but so far so good.

With the way the league is set up this year, it’s no secret that the Thunder’s top competition will come from its own conference. The West will be a gauntlet, and there are plenty of teams that could pose trouble for Oklahoma City. Like the Pacers last year, anything can happen in the NBA Finals — it’s not going to be smooth sailing. But the West appears to be a step ahead of the East, which could be a major challenge for Oklahoma City.

The Thunder’s 15-1 start is, unsurprisingly, the best in the NBA. But a month into the season, who else is playing good basketball? Who is the Thunder’s biggest roadblock in going back-to-back?

The obvious choice is the Denver Nuggets, who have looked as good as advertised. This team is deep, and the chemistry will only grow throughout the season. They also have arguably the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic, who has somehow become even more efficient. He’s playing a different game than the rest of the stars in the NBA, and always gives Denver an advantage.

When the Thunder played Denver a season ago, it was arguably the best series in the playoffs. When Aaron Gordon was hampered with an injury, though, the Nuggets lost plenty of momentum. With reinforcements in the front court and more role players off the bench, Denver would be better suited to battle through bumps and bruises this year. And if they have a clean bill of health in the playoffs, that series is anyone’s guess. Denver is the most well-rounded team, outside of the Thunder, in the NBA. It seems like a safe bet to guess that’s the Thunder’s biggest roadblock.

Outside of Denver, there are still many teams that could give Oklahoma City a run for its money. The Thunder played one of them on opening night — and nearly lost. The Houston Rockets have been terrific to start the season, a clean 10-3 record, and have a solid perimeter defender to help attempt to slow down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Amen Thompson.

Kevin Durant has revitalized Houston’s offense, and even though Fred VanVleet is sidelined, Reed Sheppard has emerged. He’s shooting an incredible 47.3% from 3-point range. Alperen Sengun has been playing like an All-Star, and Houston certainly has the firepower to challenge the Thunder’s depth.

It feels like the next category is split into two different groups. Between the Timberwolves, Lakers, Spurs, and the Warriors, there’s enough star power to catch fire at the right time. The Wolves and the Spurs both have young superstars looking for their signature playoff moment, while the Lakers and Warriors both have multiple superstars that have been on the brightest stage and know what it takes to win. While they probably have more flaws than other contenders, all it takes is a stretch of basketball peaking at the right time. They might not be built to take down the Thunder right now, but they’re lurking and dangerous.

The Eastern Conference will be a battle of its own, but the Pistons are streaking with the conference’s best record at 13-2. They’re slated to get Jaden Ivey back soon, who will pair with the team’s budding superstar Cade Cunningham. New York and Cleveland have both been close before, and hold solid records early on. In the playoffs, their depth and star power will look large. Boston would be the obvious answer, but with Jayson Tatum sidelined for the foreseeable future it would be incredibly difficult.

Oklahoma City has a path to go back-to-back, but in the Western Conference it won’t be easy. Just like last year, they’ll have to slay some giants. Injury luck will be a big key, but this Thunder team is clearly in a league of its own right now.