The Thunder set a new franchise record after spoiling James Harden’s big night
All-Star Jaylen Williams has yet to play this season due to wrist injurybut his inactive status hasn’t slowed him down Oklahoma City Thunder. The reigning NBA champions have been undefeated through the early part of the 2025-26 campaign. They made history on Tuesday night with a 126-107 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
OKC defeated an James Harden’s early rush and trailed 33-23 after the first quarter, but the Finals and regular season MVP dazzled once again. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points for the fourth straight contest, Isaiah Hartenstein had four steals, Chet Holmgren had three blocks and the Thunder shot 52.3 percent from the field overall and forced 19 turnovers at the Intuit Dome.
The result is an 8-0 start, which is the franchise’s best mark since it moved in Oklahoma City in 2008, according to StatMuse. Again, all of this is happening without what many consider the second best player on the team. Neither Harden’s performance of 25 points, nor the Clippers’ 50 points on the bench were enough to fend off the extremely skilled and persistent Thunder.
Amidst all the talk of parity during the NBA’s second-apron era, the juggernaut is wreaking havoc across the country. While it’s too early to make big predictions, OKC is in position to do what no other team has done since 2018: repeat as champions.
Gilgeous-Alexander is consistently excellent, and Marc Daigneault’s group oozes chemistry. The Thunder could just be an anomaly, or they could serve as a blueprint for how to build a powerhouse without exuding big-market glamour. This team will do their best to ensure that the historic start brings another important conclusion.
Oklahoma City will defend its unblemished record against the Portland Trail Blazers (4-3) on Wednesday at the Moda Center.
2025-11-05 07:49:00
