The Startling Similarities the Oklahoma City Thunder Share with the NBA’s Last Dynasty

A dominant team in the Western Conference is ascendant. This franchise hasn`t claimed an NBA championship since the 1970s. Yet, spearheaded by a 26-year-old guard fresh off earning his inaugural MVP award, it nearly achieved 70 regular-season wins, posted a significant double-digit point differential, and clinched the Western Conference finals in just five games.

While this description perfectly fits the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors, who embarked on their journey to five consecutive Finals appearances a decade ago this week, it applies equally well to the 2024-25 Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder recently secured their spot in the Finals with a commanding 124-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. More than just typical finalists, the Thunder are a historically strong unit, exhibiting numerous striking parallels to those Warriors a decade prior.

In the mid-2010s, few anticipated the Warriors, who hadn`t even reached the conference finals in the Stephen Curry era, would become the era`s defining team. They cemented that status through repeated deep playoff runs. Similarly, the Thunder had not reached the conference finals in the early 2020s but are now positioned to potentially dominate the remainder of the decade, perhaps even forging a comparable dynasty.

These similarities extend to the age profile of both rosters. As of now, the 2015 Warriors hold the distinction of being the youngest championship squad since 1980, with an average age (weighted by playoff minutes) of 26.4 years. However, the current Thunder team is even younger, averaging 24.7 years.

This youth is evident in their respective leading scorers, who found themselves at identical career junctures. Stephen Curry was 26 during the 2014-15 season, mirroring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander`s age now. Curry achieved a 63.8% true shooting percentage en route to his first MVP ten years ago, while Gilgeous-Alexander, the latest MVP, posted a 63.7% true shooting mark this season. Notably, Curry`s 2015 MVP season remains the most recent to culminate in a championship, a feat SGA now has an opportunity to match.

Their complementary stars also exhibit striking parallels. Klay Thompson was a 24-year-old force on both ends of the court, earning his first All-NBA third team selection during the Warriors` initial title run. Jalen Williams fits this description precisely: a 23-year-old two-way standout who received his first All-NBA third team nod this year. Draymond Green, then 24, was a versatile player from the Midwest known for his defensive prowess, recognized with first-team All-Defense honors. Chet Holmgren, a 22-year-old unique talent also from the Midwest, led the league in rim protection and would have been a strong contender for All-Defensive recognition had he met the eligibility criteria.

The comparisons don`t end there. Andre Iguodala, a 31-year-old defensive specialist coming off the bench, significantly boosted the Warriors` performance. Alex Caruso serves a similar role for the Thunder, being just a year younger. Iguodala was named Finals MVP that season. Could Caruso potentially follow in his footsteps?

Andrew Bogut was a sturdy defensive center who often started games but didn`t necessarily finish them, averaging 23 minutes during Golden State`s playoff push. Isaiah Hartenstein fulfills a nearly identical function for the Thunder, averaging 24 minutes.

Furthermore, both franchises made a pivotal trade focused on defense over offense as they constructed their rosters. While the timelines aren`t perfectly aligned, the Warriors traded gifted guard Monta Ellis because Curry offered better playmaking, and they sought an elite defender like Bogut. Similarly, the Thunder recently traded talented guard Josh Giddey to Chicago, recognizing Gilgeous-Alexander as the primary creator and finding a more suitable rotational fit in the defensive capabilities of Caruso.

Golden State and Oklahoma City also navigated remarkably similar playoff paths en route to the Finals, despite facing skepticism about their ability to translate dominant regular-season success to the postseason. Recall the prevalent talk a decade ago that a team reliant on three-pointers like the Warriors couldn`t win a championship. This narrative sounds strikingly similar to the discourse this year suggesting opponents didn`t `fear` the Thunder due to their lack of championship history.

Both the 2015 Warriors and 2025 Thunder swept the No. 8 seed in the first round, each featuring a significant comeback victory in Game 3. Golden State erased a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit against New Orleans, highlighted by Curry`s improbable tying three-pointer over Anthony Davis. Oklahoma City staged an even larger comeback, overcoming a 29-point gap against Memphis.

In the second round, both teams faced a stern test against a veteran, playoff-tested opponent after falling behind 2-1 in the series. The Warriors rallied past the “Grit `N Grind” Memphis Grizzlies in six games, while the Thunder utilized multiple fourth-quarter surges to defeat the recent champion Denver Nuggets in seven.

Both teams employed an innovative defensive adjustment to secure their series wins: the Warriors had Bogut “guard” non-shooter Tony Allen, while the Thunder strategically placed Caruso on three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

Finally, in the conference finals, facing a team led by a rising star guard (James Harden for the Houston Rockets then, Anthony Edwards for the Minnesota Timberwolves now) and a multiple Defensive Player of the Year winner at center (Dwight Howard then, Rudy Gobert now), both the Thunder and Warriors prevailed in five games.

These analogous trajectories might be a consequence of their similar statistical profiles. The Warriors are often remembered for their offensive firepower and pioneering the three-point revolution, but their first championship team actually excelled more on defense. Golden State ranked first in defensive rating and second in offense, mirroring the Thunder`s ranking first in defensive rating and third in offense this season.

Both teams conceded significantly more free throws than they attempted but led the league in points generated from opponent turnovers and were capable of overwhelming opponents with rapid scoring bursts.

Perhaps the most significant connection between these two powerhouse teams, when considering the broader picture, is that for Golden State, the best was yet to come, which may also hold true for Oklahoma City. In retrospect, the Warriors` magical 2014-15 season appears as a beginning rather than a peak; they posted even better point differentials in 2015-16 and 2016-17 and secured several more championships. Similarly, it`s easy to envision the Thunder having an even stronger season in the near future, given their roster`s youth and flexibility. Improved injury luck could also benefit them; they played at a pace equivalent to 70 wins when either Holmgren or Hartenstein was available, but lost both for less successful periods this season.

The Thunder already set an NBA record for point differential this season. With another year of player development, is it unreasonable to imagine them challenging the regular-season win record (73) next year, particularly since the Warriors achieved that mark the year after their first Finals appearance?

However, two main challenges could potentially impede Oklahoma City from establishing a dynasty comparable to the Warriors` over the last decade. First, the NBA`s new apron rules might lead to a premature dismantling of the Thunder`s impressive depth.

To retain their championship core long-term, the Warriors led the league in payroll in 2017-18 and 2018-19, incurring a combined $86 million in luxury tax payments. A decade later, the question isn`t just whether Oklahoma City`s ownership will commit to such expenditures, but whether additional apron restrictions will render it entirely impossible.

Second, the Warriors extended their period of dominance by adding Kevin Durant during his prime years.

It`s fascinating to speculate how their dynasty might have unfolded had Durant signed elsewhere or remained with the Thunder in 2016. It`s unlikely the Warriors would have collapsed without him; they had just won 73 games and would likely have won the title that year absent Draymond Green`s suspension in the Finals.

But Cleveland arguably had the best team of the second LeBron James era in 2017, storming through the Eastern Conference playoffs. Rising threats in the West, like the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets, were also formidable. It`s improbable Golden State would have reached five consecutive Finals without Durant`s addition.

Unless the Thunder win the championship and manage an unlikely trade for a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, replicating such a game-altering move seems unrealistic for Oklahoma City. By itself, this difference might cast doubt on the Thunder`s capacity to dominate the late 2020s to the extent the Warriors defined the 2010s.

Nonetheless, the Thunder possess one advantage the Warriors did not. Apart from Durant and Kevon Looney, Golden State didn`t significantly add to its core after it began winning. Eight of the top 10 Warriors players in total playoff minutes during their five-year run were already with the team at the start of the 2014-15 season. Golden State made only three draft picks between 2013 and 2018 due to trades, with limited long-term success beyond Looney.

In contrast, the Thunder possess an abundance of draft picks, holding their own selections along with future first-rounders or swaps from multiple teams. This stockpile offers Oklahoma City ample opportunities to further build around its young core, a necessity given the salary cap challenges faced by deep, star-laden teams in the contemporary NBA.

The idea of a dynasty in Oklahoma City still feels distant, as they have yet to secure their first title. However, they enter the Finals as heavy favorites, and should they win, they will be uniquely positioned to sustain their success compared to recent champions.

Considering all the similarities discussed, this context might represent the most significant *difference* between the 2015 Warriors and the 2025 Thunder. Golden State emerged as the latest iteration in a long line of NBA dynasties. From 1999 through 2014, every Finals featured either the Lakers, Spurs, or Heat, and repeat championships were commonplace. As Oklahoma City rises, however, the NBA is set to crown its seventh different champion in seven years, and no reigning champion has advanced beyond the second round since the 2018-19 Warriors.

Yet, the stage is clearly set for the NBA`s next great dynasty. Following the Warriors` model a decade later, the Thunder`s path is evident. They have assembled a talented core with strong supporting players, navigated crucial playoff challenges, and are now prepared to potentially define the 2020s, just as the Warriors became synonymous with NBA dominance in the 2010s.