"The Thunder are rolling to start the 2025-26 season. Oklahoma City currently boasts the best record in the NBA at 11-1 with an average point differential of plus-14.4. It strung together eight straight wins to start the season, tied for the sixth-longest win streak by a defending champion to begin a season in NBA history and longest since the Golden State Warriors in 2015-16. The hot start from the Thunder comes on the heels of a 68-win season and an NBA title. Oklahoma City will look to continue its strong run against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night (9:30 ET, ESPN), further establishing its place on a list of the best starts to a season by a defending champion."
"There's fast starts to an NBA season, and then there's what the Warriors did during the 2015-16 campaign. Golden State ran the table with an NBA record 24 straight wins to start the season. The Warriors went 73-9 for the season, also the best in league history, and had a plus-10.8 point differential. Warriors guard Stephen Curry became the first player in NBA history to become a unanimous MVP winner -- he averaged 30.1 points, 6.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals while netting a whopping 402 3-pointers."
Oklahoma City Thunder began the 2025-26 season 11-1 with an average point differential of plus-14.4. The team opened with an eight-game winning streak, tied for the sixth-longest start by a defending champion and the longest since the Golden State Warriors in 2015-16. The strong start follows a 68-win regular season and an NBA championship for Oklahoma City. The Thunder face the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night as they aim to further establish one of the best starts by a defending champion. Historical context lists top 12-game starts by defending champions, including Golden State's 12-0 beginning in 2015-16.
Read at ESPN.com
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