The 2026 NBA Playoffs have started, and we aren’t even a week into the postseason, yet the Finals already feel decided. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Boston Celtics did not just dominate in the regular season; they set a new tone for what the best teams in the NBA look like.

Game 1 of both of their 1st round matchups just confirmed everyone’s already existing beliefs, immediate blowouts. Not only did they win by historical numbers, but they also did it with control and almost 0 resistance, so now the question has shifted entirely.

Instead of wondering who will win each round of the playoffs, we now have to think if anyone in the entire league can interrupt what already feels inevitable: the Thunder vs. the Celtics in June.

Are The Thunder Finals-Bound?

The Thunder are Having One of the Best 3 Year Stretches Ever

The Thunder are not just on a 3 Year hot streak; this dominance was achieved through structure and strategy. Oklahoma boasted a 64-18 record this season, bringing up their 3-season win total to 189, with only 57 losses. They have a +11 net rating this year, the 8th best in NBA history.

Their top-tier defense and efficient offense have led to one of the craziest team turnarounds in NBA history, and at the center of the entire dynasty is one player, and he goes by the name of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA is not just a scorer, he is a system by itself.

Shai averages 31.8 Points this season on elite efficiency, shooting 66.5% True Shooting, the 2nd highest true shooting percentage by a guard averaging 30+ Points in a single season. His mid-range dominance and low mistake, high control style make him the perfect leader for the rising Thunder.

But the real advantage comes when you talk about 1 thing: Interchangeability. The Thunder have multiple 2-way players and switchable defenders across the floor. Pair that with many different ball-handlers and playmakers, and the depth goes so far; they don’t rely on just 12 stars, they overwhelm with options.

The Thunder Might Not Make It To The Finals

Even the most dominant teams, though, have pressure points, and the historical Thunder are no exception. The youth of the team seems like a great thing to have, until you realise, they have limited deep playoff battles that they have fought together, compared to other historic dynasties.

When you remove the transition points they get from steals and forced turnovers, they become dependent on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander more on offense, and when they play just half-court offense, they are at a disadvantage as they rank 13th in the NBA in 3 Point makes, and in this type of league, the battle of deep is what wins games.

So if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has to miss time for an injury or rest, who can consistently create at the same level that SGA can? The easy answer is Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren, but the painful truth is that no one in the NBA can create and score at such an efficient and elite level like Shai can.

The Thunder have a golden opportunity to repeat as champions, making them the 1st repeat champions since the Warriors from 2017-18. They must maintain their pace and control, while avoiding late series battles to make sure they have the highest chances at winning.

How Are The Boston Celtics This Good?

The Celtics Should Not Be This Good

This Boston Celtics roster was built on 1 thing; Survial and adaptation. Despite all the injuries, all the roster changes, signings, and trades, the Celtics have still managed to maintain a strong seeding, boasting a 56-26 record. Their emphatic 2-way metrics and elite shooting have created a team that is resilient enough to survive through anything.

The city of Boston owes everything to 2 people, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. These 2 players remain the Celtics’ core despite all the injuries and rumors of a potential Jaylen Brown trade, but as they have said before, they are brothers and will do whatever it takes to win for Boston.

Even though the Celtics heavily rely on the Jays, their identity goes much deeper than them alone. Their system is built on the next man up mentality that the Thunder do so well, over dependency on just 1 or 2 players.

They place so much emphasis on ball movement, although the assist total doesn’t show it (They rank 27th in the NBA in Assists with 24.6 APG), Spacing (3rd in the NBA in 3 Point makes), and defensive discipline (1st in the NBA in Opponents Points allowed with 107.2 PPG).

One of the main factors that has influenced the Celtics intense Year is Jaylen Brown’s All-NBA leap this season. Brown played in 71 this season, averaging 28.7 Points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 Assists. His expanded playmaking and consistent offensive prowess made him the perfect #1 option in Tatum’s year-long absence, allowing the Celtics to keep pushing forward, rather than rebuild.

There Are A Few Concerns For Boston This Year

The Celtics’ supporting cast has been defined by shooting and defensive execution, having a low variance role for the Boston Celtics, yet they are so important for their future that the Celtics keep most of them around for multiple years. This is a team that continues to build year after year.

In order for the Celtics to make the finals, they will have to tackle a few hurdles in order to prove their worthiness, with one of them being Tatum’s unknown physicals. He just returned from an Achilles tear, with a long series of potentially regenerating it, they will have to test his durability and rest him accordingly.

Compared to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Celtics do not excel in forcing turnovers or in paint defense, ranking 1st in turnovers in the NBA (least total turnovers per game) with 12.4, but rank 29th in the NBA in forced turnovers with 12.4 as well.

They are also more reliant on their pure offensive abilities rather than defense, ranking 29th in the NBA in fast-break points. The Celtics are also one of the most reliant teams on shooting, ranking in the top 5 in most 3 Point categories. Cold stretches throughout the playoffs can lead to vulnerabilities.

The Boston Celtics do not overwhelm their opponents like the Oklahoma City Thunder do; they just out-execute and outperform. But playing against a team like the Thunder, the execution has to be pitch perfect; vs the Thunder’s deafening defense, it is highly doubtful.

So are the Finals set? No, but that is what makes the story so compelling. 2 teams that were so ought to get to the finals, but they have 2 different challenges to face. The Thunder, the most likely out of the 2 to make it to the finals, focuses more on speed, pressure an fluidity, while the Celtics’ path to the finals depends solely on control, structure, discipline, and shooting.

The same destination to the finals is what they both seek, yet their paths both look so, so different. But right now, everything is pointing towards them colliding in the NBA finals, because this doesn’t feel like a normal NBA playoffs; it feels like a warm-up for the Finals this June.

If you are watching the playoffs round by round, waiting for the finals, you are watching the surface. The bigger story is far, far bigger, and it is already taking shape. Make sure to check out our homepage for more finals blogs and upcoming finals content, and also follow our X for real-time news and highlights, all preparing for the NBA finals this June.