The Thunder will have a stress-free Sunday in the Big Easy.
Thunder vs. Pelicans, which will tip-off at 2:30 p.m. in New Orleans, is not a game of consequence in a still chaotic Western Conference playoff picture.
OKC is locked into the No. 1 seed. The Rockets and Lakers have solidified the No. 2 and 3 seeds. Everything after that in the West, from the No. 4 seed to the play-in pairings, will be decided on the last day of the regular season.
Here’s what’s at stake for the Thunder on Sunday.
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The 68-win club
The Thunder (67-14) has already clinched the best record in the NBA. And in franchise history. With one more win, though, the Thunder would tie for the fifth-most wins in NBA history.
1. 2015-16 Warriors: 73-9
2. 1995-96 Bulls: 72-10
T3: 1996-97 Bulls: 69-13
T3: 1971-72 Lakers: 69-13
T5: 1966-67 76ers: 68-13
T5: 1972-73 Celtics: 68-14
Four of those six teams went onto win the NBA title. The 2015-16 Warriors lost in the NBA Finals. The 1972-73 Celtics lost in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Eight teams, including the Thunder, are tied for seventh with 67 wins.
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Best point differential in NBA history
The Thunder enters Sunday having outscored opponents by an average of 12.8 points per game.
As long as the Thunder doesn’t lose by 33 or more points to the Pelicans in the regular-season finale, OKC will clinch the best point differential in NBA history.
1. 2024-25 Thunder: +12.84
2. 1971-72 Lakers: +12.28
3. 1970-71 Bucks: +12.26
4. 1995-96 Bulls: +12.24
5. 2016-17 Warriors: +11.63
The four teams behind the Thunder all won the NBA title.
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Season of sweeps
The Thunder is in position to sweep the Pelicans this season. The Pels aren’t alone.
The Thunder has swept 21 teams in the regular season.
OKC’s 14 losses have come against eight teams: Mavericks (x3), Nuggets (x2), Rockets (x2), Timberwolves (x2), Warriors (x2), Cavaliers, Lakers, Spurs.
The Thunder, including regular season and playoffs, has a nine-game winning streak against the Pelicans.
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Possible first-round opponents
Four teams — the Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors and Timberwolves — are vying for seeds four, five and six.
One of them will join the Grizzlies, Kings and Mavericks in the Western Conference play-in tournament.
The winner of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in game will receive the No. 7 seed and advance to play the No. 2 seed Rockets.
The loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in game will play the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game. The winner of that game will face the top-seeded Thunder.
So entering Sunday, the last day of the regular season, there are still seven possible teams the Thunder could draw in the first round.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
