The Oklahoma City Thunder have dominated their way through the NBA season thus far and they look like they are going to be the team to beat in the Western Conference once the playoffs begin.
Oklahoma City currently sits at the top of the West standings with a 57-12 record, which is also the best record in the NBA. They also sit a whopping 12 and a half games ahead of the Houston Rockets for the top spot in the West.
Of course, the Thunder clinched the Northwest Division title on Wednesday with their dominant 133-100 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
While this is a major accomplishment for the Thunder, their next goal is to the clinch the top seed in the West heading into the playoffs and they can do so on Thursday despite not having a game.
The NBA announced that the Thunder can clinch the number one seed in the Western Conference on Thursday with a loss by the Los Angeles Lakers. This would be the second consecutive season that Oklahoma City would finish as the top seed in the West.
The @okcthunder can clinch the No. 1 playoff seed in the Western Conference tonight. pic.twitter.com/Lg6oeZtTys
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 20, 2025
Of course, the Lakers are at home to take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday and they will also be without their superstar duo of Luka Doncic and LeBron James, both of whom have been ruled out due to injury.
Because of this, the Lakers may be in prime position to help out the Thunder with them being extremely shorthanded against a Bucks team that is also trying to fight for a higher seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
Even if the Lakers do win on Thursday, the Thunder will have another chance to clinch the top seed in the West on Friday when they host the struggling Charlotte Hornets.
It is also just a matter when, not if, Oklahoma City clinches the number one overall seed in the West heading into the playoffs as they have dominated their way through the regular season.
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This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 2:49 PM.