The Thunder have won seven straight and have shown no signs of stopping.

On Monday, Oklahoma City beat the Orlando Magic 102-86 to improve to 7-0 on the season and improve on the best start in team history. With Paolo Banchero out for an extended period of time, the Magic continued to struggle in his absence and the Thunder took advantage.

With a solid first engagement, the Thunder led by 13 at the end of the first quarter. Continuing their early season dominance, the Thunder’s lead remained in double digits for the rest of the contest, reaching 26 in the third quarter.

That 26-point lead was thanks to a 13-1 run to close the third, with Isaiah Joe’s three 3-pointers in that stretch closing the door on Orlando.

Let’s review three lessons we can learn from yesterday’s game.

Oklahoma City wasted no time in taking a lead against Orlando on Monday night, and Jalen Williams’ offense was a big reason why. In the opening minutes, Williams seemingly made every shot he wanted to take and was one of the Thunder’s early catalysts, scoring 19 points in the first half.

Meanwhile, Chet Holmgren’s presence in the paint was once again a key for Oklahoma City. The second-year big man pulled down nine rebounds and a few blocks against a depleted Orlando frontcourt.

Of course, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will play in the All-Star Game again this season with no problem. And as the Thunder head into title contention, they’re unlikely to be alone this mid-February weekend.

The Thunder are on their first seven-game winning streak since 2019 and show no signs of slowing down. Even though the streak itself will end at some point, the Thunder’s place at No. 1 in the West might not change.

Oklahoma City’s defense has been stifling all season and has only allowed 86 points against Orlando. For most defensive teams, an offensive explosion in the third quarter on a tough night might be enough to secure the victory. When the Thunder did that on Monday, the game quickly became out of reach.

Oklahoma City bragged about its victory last season in a variety of ways. This season, the Thunder are even better and have only won one way: by blowout.

The Thunder’s defense has been the best in the league for two weeks, but their offense is still a bit of a work in progress. It’s early in the season and the issues aren’t that concerning, but a better offense could be what pushes the Thunder over the top.

Against the Magic, the Thunder shot 38.7% from 3-point range, an area they have improved in since the first week of the season. However, the Thunder recorded a season-high 15 turnovers, which hurt their ability to maintain a strong pace on that end. Of course, the Thunder won the turnover battle as they have in every game this year, so it didn’t matter.

As the Thunder rose to first place in the West last season, they ranked top 5 in both defense and offense. After seven games, they seem almost sure they have the best defense in the league. Still, it will take time for the offense to return to the elite level.

The Thunder’s ability to win sloppy games and make every game a little sloppy has been a determining factor so far this season. As long as the Thunder can continue to make life difficult for opposing offenses, their often overwhelming talent will shine through on the other end.

On Wednesday, the Thunder will face a returning opponent for the first time this season when they open in Denver against the Nuggets in an opening night rematch.

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