DUBAI: The last time an NBA team won back-to-back championships, it took one of the greatest dynasties in league history to do it.
The Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, captured consecutive titles in 2017 and 2018, a benchmark that has remained untouched since.
Now, Oklahoma City Thunder are attempting to repeat the feat.
After winning last season’s championship behind Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder have followed it up with another dominant campaign, finishing with a league-best 64–18 record to secure the no. 1 seed position in the Western Conference.
Their season has been defined by consistency and control, a historic 24–1 start and an average scoring margin of nearly 11 points per game underlining dominance at both ends of the court.
At the center of it all is Gilgeous-Alexander, who has backed up his MVP season with another elite year, anchoring a team built on depth, discipline and internal growth. German center Isaiah Hartenstein has played a key role, providing interior presence. In his eighth NBA season, he averaged 9.2 points and 9.4 rebounds in 47 games.
Despite the results, the message inside Oklahoma City has remained unchanged: The group is starting again.
“We’ve kind of had a target on our back the whole season, but we approach it the same way,” Hartenstein said. “We need to realize that we have to prove ourselves all over again. We don’t want to look too far ahead; we want to take it one game at a time. I believe that if you look too far ahead, you sometimes skip all the steps you really need to take to become champions.”
That emphasis on process, rather than expectation, has defined the Thunder’s title defense. Hartenstein pointed to the demands of playoff basketball, where discipline and adaptability are essential.
“Every playoff is different. You go through different adversities; you go through different challenges. We have a deep team, a team that is ready to sacrifice whatever the team needs to win,” he said.
The same mindset is shared across the roster.
Ajay Mitchell, in his second NBA season, has emerged as a key contributor off the bench, averaging 13.6 points and 3.6 rebounds across 57 games while embracing a larger role. For him, the reset came from the opening day of the season.
“We set it straight right away when we started this season, kind of forgetting about what we did last year. We came in knowing that we won last year, but it’s in the past and now we have to go do it again. From the beginning of the season, we were back at 0-0,” he said.
That approach has translated into consistency and collective improvement. “Every player came in with the mindset to improve, and that’s why we’ve been so consistent throughout the season,” added Mitchell, highlighting Gilgeous-Alexander’s influence in setting the standard.
“Learning from Shai has been incredible. He’s the best player in the league, so being able to learn from him and see what he does … He’s a great model on and off the court.”
As the Thunder prepare for the playoffs, with Game 1 set for Monday at 11:30 p.m. GST, their first-round opponent was initially uncertain, with potential matchups including the Golden State Warriors or the Phoenix Suns. That has now been settled, with the Suns securing the playoff spot after a win over the Warriors.
For Hartenstein, the uncertainty does not change the approach. “You just focus on yourself,” he said, crediting head coach Mark Daigneault for instilling that mentality. “I think Mark does a great job of making sure we know our principles and what we need to do to be at our best. We work on different situations and different defenses, so we’re always prepared.”
Preparation, rather than the opponent, remains the priority, added Hartenstein: “We don’t know who we’re playing yet, but we can control how we prepare ourselves, and that’s the most important thing.”
Mitchell echoed the broader challenge facing any team attempting repeat titles in today’s NBA.
“The league is just so good. Every team is improving, so you can’t stay the same. No matter what you did last year, you have to keep working and keep getting better,” he said.
For a team chasing something as rare as back-to-back championships, the balance between confidence and discipline will be crucial.
The Thunder may have the numbers, the depth and the momentum. But internally, the message is clear: Last season is over; the playoffs begin at 0-0.
