The NBA keeps trying to solve the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Devin Booker says the “secret is out.” He believes he knows how they defend, how they pressure the ball, how they force pace, how they weaponize their athleticism.

And yet… nobody can stop it.

As Phoenix prepares for another showdown with Oklahoma in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, one thing is becoming obvious: The Thunder aren’t just good. They’re reaching a level most teams never touch.

A 23–1 Start That Doesn’t Make Sense For Oklahoma

Oklahoma City enters Wednesday on a 15-game winning streak, tying a franchise record. They’re now just the third team in NBA history to win 23 of their first 24:

• 1969–70 Knicks
• 2015–16 Warriors
• 2025–26 Thunder
  

That puts them in a category reserved only for dynasties and juggernauts.

What makes it scarier? They’ve done this without their full rotation even once. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed the Utah game. Jalen Williams missed six. Their bench has rotated through injuries. And still, nothing changes.

Only one game in their entire streak has been decided by fewer than 8 points. That earlier win over Phoenix.

Every other team collapses at some point. Oklahoma City hasn’t blinked.

Booker Says He Knows the Formula — But That’s Not Enough

After their last matchup, Booker broke down OKC’s defensive style:

• They speed you up
• They grab and hold on drives
• They swarm ball-handlers with switching
• They never foul shooters
• They defend every action with two locked-in athletes

It’s a complete scouting report.
It’s also completely useless.

“Figuring it out is one thing,” Booker said. “Slowing it down is another.”

The Thunder play with a furious tempo, not rushed, not chaotic, but controlled speed. They win possessions before they win games.

Mark Daigneault explained it perfectly:

“Any time the scoreboard is on, we want to be on it and hold ourselves to that standard.”

They don’t change for Cup games. They don’t chase highlights. They don’t chase narratives. They chase execution. That’s why they haven’t cracked.

Phoenix Has Questions; OKC Has Answers

The Suns come in battered:

• Booker is questionable with a groin strain
• They’ve alternated wins and losses for two weeks
• Dillon Brooks, dealing with Achilles soreness, has had to carry most of their defensive energy

Meanwhile Oklahoma City is trending upward even without their best players on the floor. They beat Utah by 30, without Shai, on the road, and never looked uncomfortable.

This team is conditioned for any environment, any opponent, any stakes. Daigneault’s structure has made them emotionally stable, a rare trait for a top seed.

So… Are They TOO Good?

At some point, a team stops being hot.
At some point, players cool off.
At some point, regression hits.

But the Thunder haven’t reached that point.
Not even close.

Their defense is relentless. Their pace is suffocating. Their depth is real. Their star is an MVP candidate. Their coach has created a culture that never dips, not for injuries, not for schedule, not for pressure.

You can figure them out.
You can study them.
You can prepare for them.

But beating them?
That’s a different problem.

If the Thunder win another one Wednesday, the NBA Cup might not be the only trophy people start talking about.