With the NBA preseason underway, many teams are forging the building blocks for the regular season and preparing their guys for the extensive 82-game season. With that comes the pressure of performing, and many experts are using tools to try and predict which teams will perform the best.
One such team that is placing high in every major statistical category is none other than the Oklahoma City Thunder. In a recent article published by ESPN's Dean Oliver, they projected various outcomes for the 2024/25 NBA season using the Basketball Power Index, or BPI.
Instead of a bunch on analysts coming together to decide on particular outcomes, the BPI incorporates various team attributes. From their current schedule and how they will fare in those matchups to their performance from last season, the BPI is one of the most accurate tools in determining a team's success.
With all of those considerations, the BPI predicted the Thunder to be the second best team in the league both offensively and defensively. Adding players like Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso while having evolving stars like Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams will do that to a team, especially taking into account how good OKC was last season.
Here is how the rest of the offensive list panned out:
| Team Rank | BPI Rating |
| 1. Boston Celtics | 3.0 |
| 2. Oklahoma City Thunder | 2.4 |
| 3. Philadelphia 76ers | 2.3 |
| 4. Dallas Mavericks | 2.1 |
| 5. Indiana Pacers | 2.0 |
As for the defensive rankings, while there is no data table, ESPN stated that the teams within the top-five consist of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It is also worth mentioning that when the BPI ranked the top teams with the best chances to make the NBA Finals, the OKC Thunder placed second on that list as well. Trailing only the Boston Celtics, the Thunder have a 24.0% chance to make it to the final round and a 12.5% chance to win it all.
Of course, these things are just predictions, as anything can happen in the NBA. But considering how well the Thunder placed in such a trusted algorithm, it should say something for what the future holds in OKC.
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