In the ever-evolving landscape of the NBA, certain teams capture the spotlight while others quietly dominate. The Oklahoma City Thunder, with their impressive 23-1 record as of today, find themselves in the latter category, often overlooked despite their stellar performance. Let’s explore some of the reasons behind the Thunder’s lack of media coverage and why they are still flying under the radar despite their excellence.
The Thunder are currently on an incredible pace at 23-1 and are on pace for an absurd 78-4 season which boggles the mind. They are course drawing comparisons to the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who had an impressive 24-0 start and ended the regular season with a record-setting 73-9 record.
One of the primary reasons for the Thunder’s low visibility is their lack of a clear rival. Unlike the Warriors, who had intense matchups against teams like the Cavaliers, the Thunder’s rise to success has been rapid, leaving them without the opportunity to build rivalries. The Thunder’s ascension has been so quick that they haven’t faced the same teams enough to foster that competitive tension.
While the Thunder currently lack a fierce rival, the landscape may be shifting thanks to the gauntlet in the Western Conference. There’s a potential for rivalries with the Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic, and the Los Angeles Lakers, especially with the presence of LeBron James and Luka Doncic but those are yet to fully develop. There is still no concrete rival in the East however as the landscape out there is ever shifting thanks to injuries to big-time players like Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton.
Another factor affecting the Thunder’s visibility is the personalities of their players and coaching staff. Unlike the Warriors, who had charismatic figures like Steve Kerr and explosive personalities like Draymond Green, the Thunder are more businesslike and less outspoken. Even head coach Mark Daigneault, who is excellent, does not have the same public persona which diminishes the narrative appeal of the team.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an intriguing case in the NBA, demonstrating remarkable success yet remaining largely underappreciated in the media landscape. Their lack of a clear rival, coupled with quieter personalities, contributes to this phenomenon. As they continue to dominate the league, it will be fascinating to see if rivalries develop and how their story unfolds in the coming seasons. At the end of the day however, fans should still appreciate their greatness even if the folks in the media are not doing their best to highlight it.
