Comparing the '25-26 Thunder to the '15-16 Warriors and '96-97 Bulls

After the Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2024–25 NBA championship, the early question was how that team stacked up with some of the all-time greats.

Well, we can put that talk aside for now because this current version of the Thunder looks even stronger. Their start has led NBA historians and experts to begin comparing them to two of the other great teams in history: the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls and the 2015–16 Warriors.

The Michael Jordan-led Bulls broke the all-time NBA record for wins in a season, going 72–10 and then cruising to an NBA championship. They also stacked up six straight titles when Michael Jordan opened the season on their roster. Steph Curry's 2015–16 Warriors broke the Bulls' 1995–96 record by winning 73 games; however, the Warriors lost the final three games of the NBA Finals to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, blowing a 3–1 series lead, which led many at the time to still call that ’95–’96 Bulls team the best.

The Thunder are already off to a 21–1 start, putting them on pace to finish the year with 78 wins, which would shatter the Warriors’ regular-season wins record. But are they truly better than those Bulls and Warriors squads? Let’s take a deeper look to see how the Thunder stacks up against both of them.

After his team’s record-breaking 73-win season, Steve Kerr said, “Somebody’s got to go 74–8. I just don’t see it.”

Kerr may have to revisit those words down the line.

That being said, as great as Oklahoma City has been, even their incredible start doesn’t compare to the Warriors team from a decade ago. The Warriors won their first 24 games, and by January 11, they were 36–2, the greatest first 38 games in NBA history.

However, despite breaking the record, the Warriors weren’t as strong down the stretch. They finished the year 25–5 over their final 30 games, and then showed cracks before the NBA Finals. Ironically, it was Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder who pushed them to the limit in the Western Conference Finals, forcing them into a seven-game series. Ultimately, the Warriors prevailed. But then in the NBA Finals, the Cavaliers rallied from a 3–1 deficit to defeat the Warriors and win the championship. 

The loss has led historians to say the '15–16 Warriors had the greatest regular season in history, but weren’t the greatest team. It's similar to how the 2007 New England Patriots went a perfect 16–0 in the regular season but lost the Super Bowl to the Giants. However, the 2016–17 version of the Warriors was a machine, as they added Kevin Durant to the roster. They didn't break a record for wins, but they did go 67–15 and swept the Cavs in the NBA Finals.

Like Steph Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) drives the bus for the Thunder. SGA is shooting 43.4% from beyond the arc, whereas Curry shot 45.4% in 2015–16. SGA is averaging more points per game, though, than Curry (32.8 to 30.1).

Aaron Wiggins has been dealing with an injury, but he is comparable to Klay Thompson, while many have compared Chet Holmgren to Draymond Green. Holmgren is averaging 18.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while Green averaged 14.0 points and 9.5 total rebounds.

The edge goes to the Thunder, though. Thus far in 2025–26, they are outscoring their opponents 122–107. The Warriors weren’t as dominant, outscoring teams 114–104. If things hold, that 15.3-point differential would easily be a new NBA record.

The Bulls were seen as a team with no weaknesses whatsoever. Not only did they have arguably the greatest player to ever play the game, Michael Jordan, but they had one of the greatest defensive players and rebounders the game ever saw, Dennis Rodman. And when many thought they could be challenged in the NBA Finals by a SuperSonics team that won 64 games, the Bulls won the first three games and ended up prevailing in six.

The Bulls opened the first 21 games at 19–2, but their best stretch came in the middle of the season. They went on a stretch in December and January where they were 31–1, outscoring opponents by more than 15 points per game. 

Jordan scored 30.4 points during the regular season and posted very similar numbers to what SGA has so far. But while most want to compare the offenses, the defense is what many historians say puts the Bulls a leg above the rest. Jordan was an outstanding defensive player, but Rodman was historically great. He averaged just under 15 total rebounds per game, which is seven more than Holmgren has averaged this season.

The Bulls outscored their opponents 105–93, a testament to just how great their defense was. The 12-point margin is better than the Warriors', but still behind this Thunder team.

There's also the comparison of depth. What makes the Thunder so great is their bench. This was also the Bulls' strength. Toni Kukoč won the Sixth Man of the Year Award, averaging 13.1 points per game, while Steve Kerr came in and shot 52% from the 3-point line.

As Jordan said, it’s hard to compare eras. The defensive edge definitely goes to the Bulls in this case, but the Thunder have been more impressive from a scoring perspective. If you believe in the phrase “Defense Wins Championships,” then you probably believe the Bulls would win a head-to-head matchup. Overall, the Bulls' roster from top to bottom, which includes the bench, is still one of the best of all time.

There's a lot of season left for the Thunder to prove themselves as the greatest ever. There are also a lot of years left. What made the Warriors and Bulls so respectable and great was that they kept their dominance going for years, building dynasties. The Warriors won four championships from 2015 to 2022 (and three from 2015 to 2018), while Jordan's Bulls won six NBA titles between 1992 and 1998. What's scary is if Jordan didn't retire twice (in '94 and '98), most believe the Bulls could have won not just eight championships in a row, but perhaps more. 

The Thunder have just one title thus far, and they need to follow up their 21–1 start with consistent play throughout the season to be considered the greatest ever. But with a 15.3–point scoring margin so far, they are making the case that the ‘25–26 version may be the most dominant version ever assembled.