Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Win Total Still Important Next Season

There's an old saying in Tennessee, probably in Oklahoma City, too. Fool me once shame on you fool me twice –– you can't get fooled again.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are not going to fool anyone in 2025-26. They are not going to sneak up or make hay on a sleepwalking Western Conference in the regular season. After back-to-back seasons of capturing the No. 1 seed, ripping off 68 wins and an NBA championship a year ago, the target is squarely on their back.

It is incredibly rare to go wire-to-wire as top dog, as the Thunder did a year out in the left side conference. But with the deepest and most talented roster returning to Bricktown, Oklahoma City is the easy pick to sit atop the West again.

Though, of all the years to stake claim to top billing, it's this one. With conference-shaking moves in Denver and Houston, the threats to the Thunder's title defense season are real in the newly found (and never before seen) parity era in the NBA.

While most reigning champions put things on cruise control the following season. Doing a parody of Green Day, hoping to be woke up when the regular season ends. The Thunder –– or any team out West –– can't afford to do that.

The difference in even the No. 1 seed and No. 3 seed could end up being playing both the Nuggets and Rockets or merely one of those foes at most.

There is no worry as training camp looms that Oklahoma City will stick to its 0-0 mentality and treat each game as –– say it with me –– one of 82. Not only has that been the team's identity since Mark Daigneault took control of the franchise as head coach, but this young roster is far from satisfied with "just one" championship individually or at a team scale.

OKC largely played a B+ at best postseason to capture the franchise's first championship. They left plenty of room to grow with the steps expected from Chet Holmgren, the supporting cast and with a fully healthy Jalen Williams ideally.

While the Thunder's big three got paid this summer, believe it or not, despite the gaudy price tag, this wasn't the massive payday for Holmgren or Williams. That comes with the next deal, so long as their individual play continues to line up with that of a supermax-worthy hooper.

Speaking of the big three, they have all discussed at length the desire to be an all-time great. Particularly, superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was peppered with this question seemingly every game during his historic regular season. While they haven't crowned themselves, their answers reveal an understanding that one historic season doesn't meet the requirement for the heights they hope to achieve and can realistically attain.

Before the banner even drops of this first title, it has become common place to think about the next one with a core this talent and this young all locked up long-term under team control.

However, to reach those dynastic destination, it will take a commitment in the regular season –– and plenty of wins –– to set themselves up to do what no reigning champion has done in nearly a decade: Repeat.

Song of the Day: Wasted Days and Wasted Nights by Freddy Fenders.