OKC Thunder Must Continue to Overcome Adversity Amid Unbeaten Season

The Oklahoma City Thunder are attempting to remain unbeaten as they take on the Washington Wizards. The Thunder will have to do so through no shortage of adversity.

Oct 27, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault looks on during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

All starts to the NBA season are not created equal. Not even the unblemished records. As the Oklahoma City Thunder begin their season 5-0, they have had to do it through no shortage of obstacles.

All-NBA swingman Jalen Williams, Sharpshooter Isaiah Joe, Veteran big man Kenrich Williams and Rookie guard Nikola Topic have missed all five of the opening games. Alex Caruso (3), Cason Wallace (1) and Chet Holmgren (1) have all missed at least one contest. Both Williams forwards, Topic and Holmgren remain out ahead of the team's sixth tilt on Thursday, against the Washington Wizards.

The Thunder have had to grind out two double-overtime wins against playoff teams –– the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pavers –– While playing a league-high 35 clutch minutes already. Already half of the total minutes they played in last year's 82 game campaign.

All the while, Oklahoma City is on a blistering cold streak from beyond the arc, ranking dead last in the NBA in 3-point percentage.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are attempting to buck the current trend of parity in the NBA –– with seven unique champions over the past seven years including the 2025 Thunder –– the previous six winners have failed to even make it out of the second round in the following postseason.

Though, in typical Thunder fashion, they keep finding ways to win. From blazing hot scoring nights posted by second year guard Ajay Mitchell –- who has scored in double figures in each of the first five games of the 2025-26 campaign –– to timely buckets from Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins. As wel as the usual catalyst, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, closing out wins for the Bricktown Ballers as he leads the NBA in clutch-time points.

This has been on the back of the NBA's best defensive unit even down some of their best weapons on that end of the floor.

Nothing has come easy to the reigning champs so far this season and nothing will. Oklahoma City has been great at handling adversity with this young core. From Holmgren fracturing his hip ten games into last season and still walking away with a franchise and NBA best 68 wins, to dropping the opening games of the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers series before gutting them out in a seven-game thriller.

So in a way, this obstacle riddled start is just par for the course for Oklahoma City. They are treating it as such. No excuses, no mailed in nights, just grit, guts and wins.