Brian Windhorst has already made reservations for the NBA Finals dinner

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is so confident in Oklahoma City Thunderthe path it has already made dinner reservations for NBA Finals — and he insists the preparation is no joke. Speaking on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective, Windhorst detailed his unusually specific planning based on his belief that the Thunder will finish the season with the league’s best record.

Windhorst revealed that his reservations are not for general postseason travel, but for specific dates related to the Thunder hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City.

“I actually made my reservations for the finals in Oklahoma City and I didn’t make it to game three, four and six. I only made it to games one, two, five and seven because I don’t think there’s going to be a game three, four and six. Okay, because they’re going to have the best record. I went on this week, but at the restaurant on the Lake I didn’t know he had another reservation. I want to eat in, I made it because I know the day after game one I’m going to want to eat there and it’s going to be Friday night and it’s going to be hard to get in, so i made it.

Windhorst also noted that he has adopted a strict seating policy for these hypothetical Finals dinners, borrowing an idea from longtime San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

“And five, just five. I got this from Gregg Popovich. My dinner is only five. If somebody wants, I’ll allow a sixth person if it’s a spouse, because when spouses are with their husbands or wives during the playoffs, I never want them to feel. So I’ll allow under that grace sixth. And if somebody says I want to be like, hey, sixth, I’m going, hey, sixth. do my dinner, I don’t have to eat with you, see you next time.”

The Thunder’s dominance boosts Brian Windhorst’s confidence in another NBA Finals series

Although the comments were delivered with a touch of humor, the logic behind Windhorst’s confidence was backed up by Oklahoma City’s overwhelming dominance on the field. The the reigning champions opened the 2025–26 campaign with a 24–1 record and are currently driving a 16-game winning streak in the NBA Cup semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs (17–7) on Saturday at 9:00 PM ET on Prime Video in Las Vegas.

The Thunder followed up on last season’s 68–14 performance – a campaign highlighted by a historic +12.8 net rating – by producing even more impressive numbers this year. Oklahoma City ranks second with 123.6 points per game, trailing only the Denver Nuggets (125.5). Defensively, the Thunder have been unmatched, holding opponents to a league-best 106.2 points per game.

Perhaps most notable is their +17.5 net rating, which tops last season’s mark and underscores why Windhorst believes home court advantage throughout the postseason, including the NBA Finals, is within reach.

With the Thunder’s mix of star power, roster continuity and superior efficiency on both ends of the floor, Windhorst’s early dinner reservations — while unconventional — reflect just how huge Oklahoma City has become in the league’s early months.