Camille Naredo

Chet Holmgren #7 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder high five during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on December 28, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Garrett Ellwood, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP 

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - DECEMBER 28: Chet Holmgren #7 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder high five during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on December 28, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE   Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Garrett Ellwood / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)

Article (news)

Philadelphia 76ers v Oklahoma City Thunder

Agence France-Presse

LOS ANGELES -- NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder say they can&#x27;t afford to look too far ahead -- or back -- as they chase the league&#x27;s first title repeat since 2018.The Thunder, led by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are heavy favorites after powering to the top seed in the Western Conference and best record in the league at 64-18.But the young squad that was touted as the league&#x27;s next dynasty as soon as they hoisted their first Larry O&#x27;Brien trophy insist they aren&#x27;t yet focused on pulling off the first back-to-back since the Golden State Warriors won in 2017 and 2018.Gilgeous-Alexander said that&#x27;s &quot;not much&quot; of a motivating factor as the Thunder waited for their first-round opponent to emerge from the final play-in clash between Golden State and Phoenix on Friday.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776483922643AFP__20251228__2253078038__v1__MidRes__Philadelphia76ersVOklahomaCityThunder.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Chet Holmgren #7 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder high five during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on December 28, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Garrett Ellwood, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP " width="960"/>Chet Holmgren #7 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder high five during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on December 28, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Garrett Ellwood, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP </div>&quot;It&#x27;s cool, it&#x27;s an opportunity,&quot; Gilgeous-Alexander said but added: &quot;That&#x27;s so far down the line. So many things are gonna happen before we get to the Finals clinching game.&quot;To have the opportunity to repeat means you won before, so it&#x27;s cool. I&#x27;ll keep it there.&quot;The Thunder led the West all season, opening their campaign with a 24-1 start and closing it on a 19-3 run.But they were challenged for the top seed by the San Antonio Spurs, who eventually settled for the number two spot but won four of five regular-season matchups to signal the threat they could pose in the playoffs.The Thunder certainly have the advantage in experience, with all of their championship squad still on board.Gilgeous-Alexander delivered another MVP-worthy campaign, finishing as the league&#x27;s second-leading scorer behind Luka Doncic with 31.1 points per game and putting together a record-breaking streak of 140 straight games of 20 points or more from November through the end of the regular season.Center Chet Holmgren earned his first All-Star nod, averaging a career-high 17.1 points per game even as he stepped up his already formidable defensive presence.Holmgren, who averaged 1.9 blocks per game, keys a dominant Thunder defense that allowed the second-fewest points this season and held opponents to the worst shooting percentage on average.OKC proved themselves master disruptors, averaging 9.7 steals per game.Holmgren was still feeling the effects of a broken pelvis suffered months earlier when the playoffs started last year and says he&#x27;s &quot;extremely excited&quot; to be entering the post-season feeling &quot;really good.&quot;Like Gilgeous-Alexander, he&#x27;s keeping his focus on the moment.&quot;The goal is always to win the last game of the season,&quot; Holmgren said. &quot;You have to try to carry over the experiences that you learned from, but you can&#x27;t carry over the result ...&quot;If you&#x27;re sitting here in the playoffs saying, &#x27;Oh, you know, we won last year&#x27;, that&#x27;s not gonna win you a playoff series or a game or get a stop on a possession.&quot;

NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder say they can't afford to look too far ahead -- or back -- as they chase the league's first title repeat since 2018.

NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder say they can't afford to look too far ahead -- or back -- as they chase the league's first title repeat since 2018.

Thunder stay in the moment as NBA title repeat beckons

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Thunder stay in the moment as NBA title repeat beckons

Agence France-Presse

Published April 18, 2026 11:53 AM PHT

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