Oklahoma Columnist, by Clay Horning

Oklahoma Columnist, by Clay Horning

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Oklahoma Columnist, by Clay Horning
Oklahoma Columnist, by Clay Horning
You'll never enjoy a team winning it all as much as you'll enjoy the Thunder winning it all (if they win it all)
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You'll never enjoy a team winning it all as much as you'll enjoy the Thunder winning it all (if they win it all)

Clay Horning's avatar
Clay Horning
Apr 20, 2025
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Oklahoma Columnist, by Clay Horning
Oklahoma Columnist, by Clay Horning
You'll never enjoy a team winning it all as much as you'll enjoy the Thunder winning it all (if they win it all)
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The Thunder, tipping off with the Los Angeles Lakers at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. (OKC Thunder Photo/Jimmy Do)

Not so long ago, you could make a good case that not that only were the Oklahoma City Thunder the best team in the NBA this regular season, but any regular season.

They may have never been on pace to bust clean through the 70-win barrier like only the ’15-’16 Warriors and the ’95-’96 Bulls ever have and still there was this stat called “net rating” telling the most amazing story.

Per 100 possessions, Oklahoma City was scoring 13.5 points more than its opponents and no NBA team had ever done that over a full season, the ’95-’96 Bulls’ 13.4 mark still standing like Bob Beamon’s Mexico City long jump only longer

Yet, slowing a bit, OKC finished on 66 wins, tying the ’73 Celtics for sixth all-time, and with a 12.8 net rating, good for second all-time in front of the ’96-’97 Bulls’ 12.0.

Yes, that Michael Jordan character was pretty good.


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