The Golden State Warriors can sense the danger building. Through 25 games, the Oklahoma City Thunder have suffered just one loss, matching the historic pace set by the 73-9 Warriors in 2016. With each dominant win, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company edge closer to what once seemed untouchable. Still, not everyone is convinced. Draymond Green, for one, remains skeptical.

The Warriors’ starting forward from that year noted how tough it really is to sustain those expectations. He claims it took “years” of his life. Reaching that level of mental fortitude requires more than just the want to win. It’s like approaching every game with a playoff mindset. However, when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was asked on the ’73’ mark matters, the star had a direct answer.

“Absolutely,” he said about chasing the record. “Winning matters. And no matter what form it looks like to me. So absolutely.”

It is a clear statement of intent. Winning comes first in Oklahoma, and the Thunder kept proving it since last season by fighting through crises. Their plug-and-play system carried them through Jalen Williams’ early absence, and they have not lost since his return. Chet Holmgren’s scoring leap has fueled the surge, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging a dominant 32.6 points.

The Thunder’s greatest strength lies in their depth. Four of their players from last season have increased their scoring volume this season. Their identity allows them to maintain the same pressure for the entirety of the games. Their average margin of victory is 17.5 points. No team has managed to really outplay them. OKC’s versatility leaves very few holes to exploit.

However, there’s only one obstruction that might put their historic season in jeopardy.

Without health, no team can survive, not even OKC

For everything Draymond Green mentioned about mental toughness, he also highlighted the essential requirement. “The health that it requires to get there” is what drives the engine needed behind winning over 70 games in a season. The Golden State Warriors barely saw any of their ‘Big 3’ ever miss a game in the entire season.

Stephen Curry was the player to most games out of them. He appeared in 79 games. Draymond Green missed only a single game during the entire regular season. Now, you must be wondering why the Thunder have won games even without some of their best players. That is indeed true.

Even without SGA, they beat the Utah Jazz by 30 points. However, the reigning MVP hasn’t gone through a long spell due to injury. Can the Thunder be elite without their consistent cornerstone against the best teams in the league? Over the course of an entire season, such circumstances can very well hamper their season.

However, the Thunder’s imposing identity this year proves they hold limitless potential. They are compact on both sides of the floor; they almost score the most and allow the least. And Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t rely much on his athleticism, which does limit the risk of an overload injury. It seems inevitable that they will break the Warriors’ 73-win record. The question is how much?