OKC becomes the third team in NBA history to start a season 23-1 or better

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Oklahoma City Thunder made history on Dec. 8, 2025, after becoming the third franchise in the NBA to start the regular season with an impressive win-loss record of 23-1 or better.

It was another day in the office for the hottest team in the league after the Thunder annihilated the Utah Jazz, 131-101, to extend their dominant winning streak to 15 consecutive victories and remain the No. 1 team in the NBA.

Much of the postgame buzz focused less on their streak and more on their achievement, as they joined the 1969-70 New York Knicks (23-1) and the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (24-0) in kicking off their first 24 regular-season games with such an impressive record.

Despite the absence of their superstar, the reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, due to left elbow bursitis, the Thunder proved they still had enough firepower left to smash the struggling Utah squad on the road.

Energized by the loud boos from Utah’s loyal fans who flocked to the Delta Center, the Thunder found motivation in another raucous environment—just like their previous road win against Golden State.

Too dominant, backstopped with a load of artillery, Oklahoma quickly jumped to a massive double-digit lead, leaving the Jazz behind in the dust with a 45-20 demolition to cap off a lopsided first-quarter display.

Jalen Williams made up for SGA’s absence after setting the tone for the Thunder, hitting his first five attempts out of six total tries that put Oklahoma in a quick 11-point advantage.

Picking up where Williams left off was Chet Holmgren, who feasted inside Utah’s loose interior defense after making a living in the offensive rebounding department.

As soon as Oklahoma’s bench started to join the splash party, it was pretty much over for the Jazz, who looked deflated when their opponent nearly dropped 70 points in just the first 12 minutes of action.

What’s worse was that Utah never trimmed its deficit to single digits and could only watch the entire Oklahoma team, from their starters to their reserves, pick them apart like it was just a practice session.

The Jazz tried to keep up with Oklahoma’s high-octane attack by letting Keyonte George dictate the pace with his speed, but the uprising floor general failed to deliver for Utah after only dropping eight points in 27 minutes.

An early exclamation point forced Utah to throw in the white towel in the first four minutes of the final period, when the Thunder mounted their largest lead of the ball game—42 points.

Leading the way for the reigning NBA kings was the 1-2 punch of Williams and Holmgren, who each delivered 25 points in 50 minutes of combined playing time.

Spearheading Oklahoma’s bench mob was Aaron Wiggins, who only missed a single three-point attempt out of six tries for a 19-point production, alongside three rebounds and an assist.

After picking up its 15th straight dub, the Thunder will have three days of rest before beginning its NBA Cup quarterfinal campaign on Dec. 11, 2025, against Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns.