4 OKC stories to look forward to in the second half of the 2025-26 season

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder were 35-7 last season as the defending champions doubled down to begin the second half of the 2025-26 campaign with the same record. Not an easy task for a team that’s doing everything they can, especially after a historic 24-1 start. And after losing half a dozen games in a 12-game hitting streak, Gilgeous-Alexander and The Thunder extended its winning streak to five in the second half of the regular season.

How much better can the defending champion Thunder get between now and the end of the regular season? Believe it or not, there’s still room for growth with Gilgeous-Alexander leading his third straight MVP run this year, Chet Holmgren’s All-Star production and other intriguing subplots surrounding Oklahoma City’s dominance atop the Western Conference.

Here are four Thunder storylines to watch for in the second half of the 2025-26 season.

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signature MVP finish

Thunder All Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander nearly ended his historic 20+ point streak in a 111-91 win over the Rockets on Thursday. It was Gilgeous-Alexander’s closest call to ending his streak, which had reached 112 games. SGA is 14 straight 20-point games away from tying Wilt Chamberlain’s 126-game hitting streak.

Gilgeous-Alexander is having by far the best season of his career. He is averaging 31.6 points on a career-best 54.4% shooting, including 39.2% from deep, 6.3 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. The Thunder entered the second half with a league-best 13.2 points margin, outscoring opponents by a record 12.9 points per game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder don’t just bully teams into runaway wins, as he made an epic block on Spurs All-Star Victor Vembanjama in a 119-98 win against the Rockets, he gets his teammates involved in a team effort. Plus, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder only get better.

2. Chet Holmgren’s breakout season for the Thunder

Thunder starting forward Chet Holmgren wasted little time after winning a championship in just his third season. Less than two weeks after Oklahoma City’s first NBA Championship Parade, Holmgren worked in the gym again on his game for 2025-26. And his efforts paid off, as he averaged career bests in points (17.9), field goal percentage (57.5%), 3-point shooting percentage (37.4%) and rebounds (8.4). He also averages 1.9 blocks per game.

“Part of it is — over the summer — building your body to be able to do what’s asked of it. But it’s also been working on all the technical stuff — shooting, where I want to be more efficient on the court, inside the 3-point line, outside the 3-point line, transitions; everything,” Holmgren said. “And then, just going into the season with the understanding that I’ve been working on things over the summer, but everyone else has been working on their stuff over the summer.

“Now, during the season, we have to pay a lot of attention to learning everyone’s improvements and how to play with each other now that everyone is better at different things.”

Holmgren also leads the league in player defensive rating (103.6) midway through his first season in serious All-Star consideration. In many ways, his success this season reminds fans of Jalen Williams’ 2024-25 campaign. Williams accomplished both feats for the first time last season and was named to the All-NBA Third Team.

Holmgren, who missed his entire rookie campaign, is in his third active season, as was Williams last year. Chet is poised to receive similar honors, watching it unfold will be the fun part.

3. Isaiah Hartenstein’s return to the Thunder’s starting lineup

Entering the regular season, it was hard to believe that Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren only played 20 regular season games together last season, which is the exact number of games they have played together thus far. With 40 games left in the playoffs, Holmgren and Hartenstein should have a better understanding of how the tandem can make a difference in winning.

The Thunder’s defensive intensity is heightened when these two seven-footers are on the floor together. With devastating rim protection on one end of the floor and unlimited lobbing opportunities on the other, these two present matchup problems for opposing teams. Holmgren’s improved outside shooting adds to the Thunder’s spacing, while Hartenstein’s playmaking ability was only marred by the elite offensive talent of the defending champions.

As the rebounding battle continues for the defending champions, Hartenstein’s return should correct those lopsided margins and bolster the Thunder’s 2025-26 run as the league’s best defense with an explosive offense.

4. Growth of the Thunder’s second unit

With starting center Isaiah Hartenstein missing his 11th straight game with a strained right calf, Thunder reserves Kenrich Williams, Jailin Williams and Branden Carlson have been alternating in and out of the starting lineup. Coach Marc Daigneault has confidence in his second unit, as its depth was on full display amid Jalen Williams missing the first 19 games of the season, injuries to Lou Dort (right adductor strain, right upper back strain) and Hartenstein.

Daigneault leads one of the more dynamic second units in the league, as the defending champions have at least three reserves who could play for half the teams in the NBA. Kaison Wallace is tied with the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard for first in steals per game (2.2) and is second in rebounds (4.5), according to NBA.com. Wallace has proven to be one of the Thunder’s better defenders in the backcourt, joining starter Lou Dort and Alex Caruso.

All three guards can also shoot. The Thunder bench is fifth in triples (6.6) and leads the league in 3-point attempts, according to StatMuse. Defensively, Oklahoma City’s second unit is fourth in steals with 173. Ajay Mitchell, a second-round pick in his second season, has 57 steals halfway through the regular season.

And as his breakout campaign simmers down to a sustainable level of production, he’s still averaging 14.2 points on 48.4% shooting, 3.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.