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Apr 20, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) and forward Jalen Williams (8) celebrate against the Memphis Grizzlies during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Visualizing 2024-25 OKC Thunder's Score Margin Superiority

Originally posted on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI
By Ethan Baca | Last updated Aug 3, 2025 5:11 PM ET

The 2024-25 Oklahoma City Thunder torched its opponents for eight straight months. Oklahoma City tied the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for the third-most cumulative wins in NBA history (84) while setting records for cumulative double-digit wins (64) and point differential (+1,247).

The Thunder's +12.7 regular-season net rating only trailed the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (+13.3) among historical teams. It led the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, which also joined the 60-win club, by about three and a half points per 100 possessions. The fourth-place Minnesota Timberwolves and fifth-place LA Clippers trailed Oklahoma City by a whopping 7.7 and 7.8 points per 100 possessions, respectively.

The Thunder being a significant outlier led to jaw-dropping score margin frequencies. Through 82 games, the No. 1 overall seed led by 15 or more points on 25.5% of all possessions, and it trailed — by any number — on 24.95% of all possessions. Oklahoma City possessed a 20+ point lead over 15 times as often as it suffered a 20+ point deficit.

Oklahoma City did not fluke its way to such consistent dominance. Its +17.1 first-quarter net rating (No. 1 in NBA), +12.0 second-quarter net rating (No. 1 in NBA), +14.0 third-quarter net rating (No. 1 in NBA) and +7.7 fourth-quarter net rating (No. 4 in NBA) brought 48-minute pressure.

A stifling defense, which caused atrocious opponent shooting and the most favorable turnover differential ever, and the uber-consistent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander quelled most, if not all, other regular-season concerns.

However, the Thunder found itself in unfamiliar territory shortly after the schedule flipped to postseason play. Two straight double-digit home wins to kick off the first round, including a record 51-point Game 1 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on April 20, led into a 26-point halftime disadvantage in its first road contest.

Oklahoma City trailed by at least 20 points for 13 minutes and seven seconds straight, across the second and third quarters. It stormed back in the second half for a six-point victory after Grizzlies star Ja Morant exited with a left hip contusion.

The Thunder swept the Grizzlies, but not before showing that its postseason form was not as infallible as the regular season. Oklahoma City experienced seven losses, and three double-digit defeats, in 19 games between the second round and NBA Finals.

Oklahoma City lost Game 1 heartbreakers to the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers, falling on last-second jumpers after holding double-digit fourth-quarter leads in both matchups. It also trailed by as many as 16 points in Denver's Game 6 and as many as 31 points in Indiana's Game 6.

The Thunder's largest loss of the whole season came in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves on May 24. The home team won all four quarters and earned a 42-point blowout, though it lost every other game for its second straight Conference Finals defeat.

In the playoffs, the Thunder still led by 10 or more points (30.4%) more often than it trailed (30.29%). Oklahoma City's +8.6 playoff net rating led all teams but the Cavaliers (+11.8), which followed an outrageous sweep of the Miami Heat by spiraling out to the Pacers in five second-round games.

In other words, the Thunder, despite taking a noticeable step back, were more commanding in the playoffs than 27 teams were in the regular season.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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