Oklahoma City returned from an eventful All-Star Break with a dominating win over the Utah Jazz. Fans have come to expect that domination over the course of the season, as the Thunder are outscoring opponents at a historic rate.

With an 8.5 game lead on the entire Western Conference, Oklahoma City is outscoring opposing teams by 13.1 points per game. The 45-10 record qualifies for the best start in franchise history, and the team is on track for one of the best records in recent NBA memory.

The craziest part about Oklahoma City’s start to the season is that the team hasn’t even been healthy. With Chet Holmgren’s return pushing this squad back to full health, things are really about to get serious for the Thunder. The statistics and data all point to the Thunder being one of the best teams in NBA history — specifically on the defensive end. This OKC team is the favorite to win the NBA title for a reason.

Yet, some people still don’t believe. Youth and inexperience feels like a funny excuse to latch onto, but people are always looking for a way to hate. On ESPN, it was reported that people around the NBA don’t respect the Thunder.

“The reality is, people in the league just don’t respect the Thunder,” Brian Windhorst said. “The Thunder are the youngest team in the NBA, you do not see the youngest team in any sport win. And so if you’re sitting back like the Warriors, and you’re trying to build something here, you see that as a target.”

Of course there are likely others that fall in the “don’t respect the Thunder category,” but likely one of the main proponents essentially said just that on national television. The Warriors’ dynasty was special, and each member has a right to feel confident after a run so great. But when Draymond Green guaranteed an NBA championship, the context was clear. 

“Since he (Butler) has been here, we’ve walked into every game thinking and believing we’re going to win that game,” Green said before the All-Star Game. “He has brought back that belief, and I think we’re going to win a championship.

“I’m sorry. I said I think we’re going to win a championship, but I lied. We are going to win the championship.”

Many teams and players, just like the Warriors and Green, believe they can win the championship because Oklahoma City isn’t serious. Whether the reasoning be youth, inexperience, injury concerns, it seems foolish to simply ignore the data behind this historic team.

The playoffs could be a wake up call for the rest of the NBA — the youngest team in the league has arrived.

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