What happened: ESPN highlighted that the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder are 6-0 through the early rounds of the 2026 playoffs, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. The post points to OKC's dominance as the defending champs continue their postseason run without a loss.

Why it matters: A 6-0 start puts the Thunder among the most efficient title defenses in recent memory and reinforces their status as favorites to repeat. With Gilgeous-Alexander operating as the closer and a deep supporting cast around him, OKC is shortening series and conserving mileage on its core ahead of deeper rounds.

What to watch: Watch whether the Thunder can maintain their unbeaten run into the conference finals and how rest advantage shapes their next matchup. Gilgeous-Alexander's usage and Jalen Williams' two-way load are the swing factors to monitor.