For the second time in franchise history, the Thunder have started 6-0. The last time they pulled off the same feat? They won the NBA Finals last year. This is a great omen for fans of the Thunder, who have seen how this team has been off to yet another great start. Only the San Antonio Spurs have managed to stay undefeated, but that’s another topic for another day.

In case you missed it, OKC just capped off another promising victory to notch their sixth win of the season. They are yet to lose a game, despite missing time from some of their key players. Chet Holmgren has missed some time due to back soreness, and even star Jalen Williams has yet to make his season debut.

There are also certain names for the Thunder who are yet to get started in the season. Nikola Topic, for starters, may miss time longer than expected. Thomas Sorber is a no-go in the season with an injury. Yet somehow, the defending champions are still armed with a promising confidence that will play a huge role in their chances of winning.

How is OKC Still Good Despite Missing its Best Players?

We all know how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still keeping that same killer instinct that he’s had in the playoffs. After being criticized for having more free throws than field goals in his first three games, the reigning MVP has turned it up a notch. He recently logged a 31-point performance in just three quarters while shooting 11-20 from the field in a win against the Washington Wizards.

The thing is, he did that in just three quarters and sat the whole fourth quarter. That kind of efficiency is what’s carrying OKC to the finish line in their first six games so far.

Then there’s Ajay Mitchell, who has been a promising standout in his first six games as well. The latest BetMGM odds for the Sixth Man of the Year have already seen him enter the fray at +2,000, 12th overall in the list. Sure, that’s not much of a big deal, but have you ever considered the fact that he’s the third-scoring option for OKC right now, with a scoring average of 18.5 points per game?

Then there’s the absolute consistency of Aaron Wiggins, who is also a candidate for 6MOTY. He’s been a massive sparkplug off the bench for the Thunder, and there’s no reason to expect him to take a dip in his performances. The return of Isaiah Joe also proved to be a good sign for OKC — he just dropped 20 points in his first game of the season.

Everyone stepping up proves just how the “next man up” mentality for the Thunder really works at this point. One can say that the Thunder are really deep when it comes to their rotation, and that their bench can definitely win on its own.

The Championship Recipe Remains True

As we have seen before, the Thunder are still the best defensive team in the league. If you are not impressed, Cason Wallace – another Oklahoma City player coming off the bench – is leading the league in steals. The last time the steals leader was a guard? Dyson Daniels ended up winning DPOY by the end of the previous season.

But that’s just a part of their defense. There’s a whole lot of strong defenders in the Thunder rotation, and it shows just how well they have improved as a team to look out for even with a whole offseason rusting their performances on the court. Now that the Thunder have turned up the volume in their games, it’s safe to say that their defense is still going to anchor them to a whole lot of wins.

Sure, they're not winning a whole lot of games by a huge margin as they did last season. However, it’s safe to say that they’re on the same pace. For starters, they have won two of six games by double-digits. The Thunder are also starting to embrace their feel in the clutch, as we have seen in their first two games.

The fact that your best players are not in full strength yet still winning a lot of games and are yet to lose is proof that the Thunder are bound for another championship run.

What’s Next for OKC?

The next five games will be a good test for the Thunder. They will be facing the Pelicans, Clippers, Trail Blazers, and then the Kings in an NBA Cup Group Stage showdown. There’s no sign of early fatigue for OKC just yet, even though they’ve played some tougher opponents.

Of course, we are all waiting for the Thunder to return to full strength. This means seeing J-Dub back in the rotation and Chet getting back to his strong start to the season. Considering that OKC has yet to play at its full best, just think of how the 6-0 start can be if they have all their weapons at the ready to take on any team in the league.

That’s absolute mayhem. No wonder they are the best team in the league at this point.