If Thunder can maintain their margin of victory (17.4) for the rest of the season, they would surpass the 1971-72 Lakers (12.28), 1970-71 Bucks (12.26) and 1995-96 Bulls (12.24) as the most dominant regular-season team in NBA history. 

Mind you, this year’s Warriors (17.29), Celtics (14) and Cavaliers (13.13) are also drubbing opponents by record margins. Last year’s Celtics (11.34) own the fifth-largest points differential in history for a full season, falling short of the 2016-17 Warriors (11.63).

The scary thing for the rest of the league is OKC is off to a rollicking start without the services of its big offseason pickup, Isaiah Hartenstein, who fractured his left hand in the preseason. With the German expected to return in early December, the Thunder will only grow stronger, especially on the defensive side of the ball. 

And defense has been the team’s biggest calling card thus far. OKC is holding opponents to just 95.9 points per game, nearly 14 points fewer than elite defensive teams such as the Celtics (109.6) and Cavaliers (109.1).

Second-year center Chet Holmgren has been integral to the impeccable defense, as evidenced by the Thunder allowing only 42.9 paint points per game. However, their perimeter defense, spearheaded by Luguentz Dort, Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace, has been equally impressive.

During Monday’s edition of “NBA Today” on ESPN, Kendrick Perkins declared that the Thunder had already separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the West and were primed to meet the Celtics in the 2025 NBA Finals.

“They are clearly the best team in the Western Conference,” Perkins said. “I have never seen a group of young guys with old souls like they do. They are the true definition of losing yourself in the team. If they continue to keep this up, which I believe they will, they’re gonna be in the NBA Finals playing the Boston Celtics.”

Last year, the Thunder became the youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history but fell to the Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs. This year, they seem primed to take a huge step toward the ultimate goal.