Why Chet Holmgren Thinks the 74 Wins Talk Could Be a ‘Distraction’ for OKC Thunder

Fresh off of an NBA Finals ring, Oklahoma City has followed it up with a historic start to the 2025-26 season. The team embarked on one of the best starts in NBA history, a 24-1 record, before dropping a second game to the San Antonio Spurs last weekend. Despite the loss, everything is still in front of the Thunder — including history.

At 24-2, Oklahoma City is well positioned to chase the all-time record for wins in an NBA season. Before the loss, the Thunder won 16 games in a row, showcasing the team’s ability to go on long winning streaks and seem unbeatable at times.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, notoriously known for only caring about winning basketball games, mentioned that they “absolutely” want the all-time wins record — and why shouldn’t they? He referenced how much winning matters, and the record certainly falls into that category. Of course, winning in the postseason matters more, but the team knows that. The all-time record is a lofty, but good goal to have.

Everything is good in moderation — just like a lofty goal to break the record and win 74 games. If it’s a hindrance to Oklahoma City’s development and improvement, though, it can be more of a distraction instead of a goal. The Thunder are determined to make sure that doesn’t happen.

They know the record, they know what’s at stake, but they also understand that it’s not the main goal this season. Chet Holmgren broke it down with Malika Andrews on Thursday, setting the team’s priorities straight.

"I feel like trying to worry about that too much right now is just a distraction."@malika_andrews sits with Chet Holmgren to discuss the Thunder potentially reaching 74 wins this season 👀 pic.twitter.com/2sOPEU1vtb
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 18, 2025

“Not very often,” Holmgren said when asked how many times the phrase 74 wins pops up in the locker room. “We’re more so just talking about improving, what we have to do to improve every single day. I feel like trying to worry about that too much right now is just a distraction. It can limit us from chasing as much improvement as we can make.”

Oklahoma City has as good a chance as anyone to take a stab at the record, but hoisting the trophy at the end of the season is always the main goal. Over the last year, prioritizing health and getting the entire roster ready for intense minutes has clearly been the priority over chasing wins — and there’s nothing to suggest that’ll change this season.

There's no reason to shy away from the record, Oklahoma City has the talent to reach that level. But the main goal remains the same, and no distraction should get in the way of that.