The Warriors can see the threat approaching. After 25 games, the Oklahoma City Thunder have lost just one game, the same as the 73-9 Warriors team in 2016. With every blowout win, it seems Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. will break through the perceived unbreakable barrier. Draymond Green has his doubts.

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. Leave it up to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to accept that challenge.

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

That was an open declaration. Winning is paramount in Oklahoma, and the team keeps showing by fighting through crises. The Thunder have a plug-and-play system. They managed life without Jalen Williams to start the season. They haven’t lost since his return. Chet Holmgren’s scoring progression from last season is the key reason behind the Thunder’s dominance. And Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 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 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.

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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 teams 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?