The Oklahoma City Thunder locked in the No. 1 seed in the West a couple of weeks ago, but they still had something to play for before the playoffs begin. They were within striking distance of becoming the third team to join the 70-win club — which includes only the 2015-16 Warriors and 1995-96 Bulls — if they won out.
Unfortunately for them, the Houston Rockets got in the way.
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Behind 34 points from Jalen Green and 31 from Alperen Sengun, the Rockets beat the Thunder 125-111 and relegated them to a 64-13 record, making 70 wins an impossibility with five games left in the season.
OKC entered Friday on an 11-game winning streak and had won 18 of its past 19 games. Since the All-Star break, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. had lost only twice: home games against the Timberwolves on Feb. 24 and the Nuggets on March 10. BetMGM gave the Thunder +300 odds of reaching the 70-win mark.
The Thunder scored the first points of the game on a Chet Holmgren 3-pointer. The rest of the night proceeded to skew against them, with the Rockets taking the lead precisely one minute later and a double-digit lead late in the first quarter.
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That lead expanded to as large as 23 points, with the Thunder coming as close as nine points from a comeback.
In addition to 65 combined points from Green and Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. came off the bench with nine points and a game-high 17 rebounds, while Amen Thompson chipped in 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Jalen Willliams led the Thunder with 33 points.
The Thunder still have the best record in the NBA, with the Rockets now 13.5 games behind them at 51-27.
Most wins in NBA history, single season
73: Golden State Warriors, 2015-16
72: Chicago Bulls, 1995-96
69: Los Angeles Lakers, 1971-72
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69: Chicago Bulls, 1996-97
68: Philadelphia 76ers, 1966-67
68: Boston Celtics, 1972-73
The 2024-25 Thunder currently are tied for 22nd with 64 wins with six games to go. Seven teams reached 67 wins; four teams finished with 66 wins; and four teams achieved 65 wins.