The Oklahoma City Thunder left no doubt Wednesday night, routing the Los Angeles Clippers 128-110 to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and the best regular-season record in the NBA.
The Thunder dominated from wire to wire, building a lead as large as 25 points and out-rebounding the Clippers 44-36 in a performance that put the rest of the playoffs on notice.
Best Performers
Chet Holmgren was the story of the night, finishing with 30 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks - a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber performance on basketball's biggest stage. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 points and 11 assists, extending his NBA-record streak of consecutive games with 20 or more points to 140 straight games - a mark that continues to defy belief.
Los Angeles was without Darius Garland (injury), but Kawhi Leonard showed up, scoring 20 points in a losing effort.
Historic Achievement
With the victory, Oklahoma City improved to 64-16 - extending their current winning streak to seven games. They became just the sixth team in NBA history to earn the No. 1 seed for three consecutive seasons, joining a list of dynasties. This Thunder squad is no longer a surprise - they're a dynasty in the making.
Playoff Picture & Play-In Race
Meanwhile in the bottom half of the West, the playoff race remains razor-thin. The Clippers (41-39) are officially locked into the 2026 Western Conference Play-In Tournament, sitting in eighth place - just one game ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers (40-40).
Under the Play-In format, the Clippers hold the 8-seed and would only need one win against the 7-seed to advance to the playoffs. Should they slip to 9th or 10th, they'd need to win two games in a row. L.A. is fighting to stay in the 7-10 bracket, which will determine the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference.
Oklahoma City awaits. The West has a king - and right now, it's wearing blue and orange.
