Why NBA Analyst is Predicting an OKC Thunder Repeat

Once again, it’s the Oklahoma City Thunder taking the league by storm. After winning the NBA Finals in June, this team is off to the hottest start in the NBA with a 14-1 record. On top of that, fans around the league are starting to realize the draft capital that Oklahoma City somehow still has, with a potential lottery pick on deck — and maybe more. It’s a scary sight, and a testament to how rock solid the foundation is that Sam Presti built.

The Thunder’s defense once again appears to be historic, and the young prospects are predictably getting better and better. Chet Holmgren is taking the same leap as Jalen Williams did a season ago by reaching All-Star, All-Defense, and All-NBA level of play. Cason Wallace looks like a legitimate candidate for the All-Defense team, and would be a full time starter on nearly every other NBA team, too. And, oh by the way, Jalen Williams hasn’t suited up for Oklahoma City once this season, as he continues to work his way back to the court from injury.

It’s not a hot take to suggest Oklahoma City will go back to back at this point. It’s becoming a hot take to pick the field. The NBA Today crew discussed the Thunder on Tuesday’s show, and former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins made his opinion very clear.

“They’re going to repeat,” Perkins said. “They’re gonna repeat. The fact that they got out to this hot start, without their second best player, guys like Alex Caruso being in and out of the lineup, Lu Dort’s in and out of the lineup. Their depth again, the deepest team in the league.

“Now we’re seeing guys like Ajay Mitchell, who’s coming in like he might win Sixth Man of the Year. Chet Holmgren goes out, Isaiah Hartenstein elevates his game. And SGA, again, is arguably having one of the best seasons in his career averaging over 32 points, but he’s shooting 53% from the field.”

Because of a late-game collapse against Portland, the team’s only loss, Oklahoma City won’t have a chance to set the record for longest start to the season without a loss. Golden State’s 73-win team won 24 straight games to start the season. However, they suffered its second loss on December 30. With the way this Thunder team is currently playing, that’s a good goal to aim for. The fact that Oklahoma City is even in that conversation proves just how good they are — we could be witnessing an all-time team.

Once Jalen Williams is back in the lineup, and this team is at full strength, there could be another leap on the horizon. With the way Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing, and how he has elevated every single player on this team, the sky is once again the limit. Perkins has good reason to believe this squad is going back-to-back.