"They've always had OKC's number" - Stephen A. Smith names the two teams he thinks can dethrone the Oklahoma City Thunder originally appeared on Basketball Network .
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith agrees that the Oklahoma City Thunder are still the team to beat in the NBA next season. The Thunder dominated the 2024-25 season by winning 68 regular season games on their way to defeating the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals to win their first NBA championship.
With the Thunder bringing back every key player from their 2025 title team, OKC is favored to repeat. However, during his recent appearance on "Gil's Arena" podcast, the "First Take" host named the two teams that he thinks are the Thunder's biggest threat next season.
"I view Dallas as a pre-eminent threat because they've always got OKC's number," said Smith. "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."
Since the 2019-20 season, when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander arrived, the Mavericks are 11-9 in 20 regular season meetings against the Thunder. The teams also met in the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs, where Luka Doncic averaged 24.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Dallas eliminated OKC 4-2 en route to making the 2024 NBA Finals, which they lost to Boston .
But perhaps what's impressive about the Mavs is the fact that OKC lost only 14 total regular season games last season, and three of those losses were to Dallas. Yet not only did the Mavericks go 3-1 against the Thunder during the 2024-25 regular season, all three Dallas wins happened with Luka Doncic injured and all three took place in OKC.
"I would not underestimate Houston because of KD. I look at Oklahoma City's defense - big time, stellar. They have no answer for KD. And they're going through these droughts, their scoring droughts, but their defense saves the day. Your defense ain't saving the day against KD. It's not happening. If nothing else, that brother is going to eat good for 25. It's not a problem for him at all," Smith added.
The Rockets were the second-best team in the Western Conference last season with a 52-30 record. Unfortunately, they were ambushed by an experienced Golden State Warriors team during the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs and handed an unceremonious exit. But with the Rockets acquiring Kevin Durant , SAS thinks they are the other threat to the Thunder.
"We watched them during the playoffs and even when they were going up against Golden State, what were we saying about them? They needed a number one option. They need a go-to guy…So you go out and get Kevin Durant, one of the greatest players to have ever played the game, a professional scorer, a scoring machine, is unstoppable as they come, seven feet with a 7'6" wingspan. Mid-range, 3-point game, open court, free throw, it don't matter. Whatever way you need him to score, he can do it with relative ease. It's who he is," Smith concluded.
Looking at the way-too-early Las Vegas oddsboards, the Denver Nuggets , Cleveland Cavaliers , and New York Knicks are listed as the Thunder's top three challengers. However, the Mavs and Rockets also have Top 10 betting odds, so Stephen A.'s picks are right in the mix. But having said that, beating the Thunder will be easier said than done with SGA, J-Dub, and Chet adding championship experience to their resume.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
