The Oklahoma City Thunder stormed through the 2024-25 season with 68 regular season wins before outlasting the Indiana Pacers in seven games to capture their first NBA title.
Now, with the entire core returning, OKC is favored to go back-to-back.
But Two Western Conference rivals stand out as their toughest obstacles, ESPNs Stephen A. Smith says.
First is the Dallas Mavericks.
I view Dallas as a pre-eminent threat because theyve always got OKCs number, Smith said on Gils Arena podcast. If you look at them last year, even when Luka was down, they still beat them. Oklahoma City running through everybody except Dallas. They run into Dallas without Luka. Dallas beat them. They run into Dallas with Kyrie, Dallas beats them. For some reason, Dallas has their number. And they know how to play against them. And I think because of that reality, you cannot dismiss the Dallas Mavericks as a threat.
Smith also highlighted the Houston Rockets as another major threat, thanks to the arrival of Kevin Durant.
I would not underestimate Houston because of KD. I look at Oklahoma Citys defense big time, stellar. They have no answer for KD. And theyre going through these droughts, their scoring droughts, but their defense saves the day. Your defense aint saving the day against KD. Its not happening. If nothing else, that brother is going to eat good for 25. Its not a problem for him at all.
Houston finished second in the West last season with a 52-30 record before being bounced by Golden State. But with Durant in the fold, Smith sees the Rockets missing piece finally addressed.
Oddsmakers still favor Denver, Cleveland and New York behind OKC, but Smiths picks are firmly in the mix. Beating the Thunder wont be easy, yet Dallas and Houston may have the right formula to pull it off.
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