The Oklahoma City Thunder, reigning NBA champions and owners of a blistering 24-1 start this season, are searching for stability after a middling run that has produced a 6-6 record over their past dozen contests.
Monday night’s 124-97 defeat to the Charlotte Hornets at Paycom Center underscored the challenge. Charlotte entered the game 12-23, yet handed Oklahoma City its second set of back-to-back losses this year. The Thunder now stand at 30-7 overall and 98-21 since the opening night of last season.
“There’s a lot of games left,” MVP guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We’ve won big, we’ve lost big. You have to try to get better the next day—that’s what being resilient means.”
Early dominance, recent stumbles
Oklahoma City’s 24-1 opening matched the best 25-game start in league history and sparked talk of a run at the Golden State Warriors’ 73-9 record from 2015-16. Cracks emerged in December when San Antonio defeated the Thunder three times in two weeks, including a 15-point setback on Christmas Day.
Head coach Mark Daigneault said the latest loss offered another reminder that every opponent circles the calendar for the champions. “When you win the championship and start the way we started, it comes with the territory,” he noted. “It’s a competitive privilege to be the team everyone gets up to play.”
Lineup shifts and injuries
The Thunder have struggled to regain their rhythm since forward Jalen Williams returned from wrist surgery. The club is 18-2 without him in the starting lineup and 12-5 with him. Additional absences Monday included starting center Isaiah Hartenstein and key reserves Alex Caruso and Jaylin Williams.
Despite the recent slide, Oklahoma City still owns the NBA’s top net rating and defensive rating. Gilgeous-Alexander captured Western Conference Player of the Month honors for December, while center Chet Holmgren was voted the conference’s Defensive Player of the Month.
Holmgren, who has missed several games this season, said balance is essential after a lopsided loss. “You can’t just brush it off, but you also can’t overreact,” he said. “You have to approach it with the right level of gravity.”
Looking ahead
Daigneault remains confident the group will respond. “When the wind’s in your face, you’ve got to endure,” the coach said. “Continue to compete, stay together, focus on what you can control, and change course.”
Oklahoma City’s next chance to recalibrate comes later this week as the league-leading Thunder attempt to turn lessons from their recent skid into renewed momentum.
Source: ESPN
