Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Showcase Old Soul Against Hornets

The Oklahoma City Thunder took care of business against the Charlotte Hornets, and it showed the maturity and professionalism of this team. A young squad with an old soul.

Mar 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) reacts after a play against the Charlotte Hornets during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Age is just a number for the Oklahoma City Thunder –– who became the second youngest squad to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference on Thursday night, only behind last season's Thunder team –– On Friday OKC showed that with a dominating win against the Charlotte Hornets.

It wasn't the win itself that was impressive, after all, the Hornets are welcoming losses and hoping to capture the Flagg rather than chasing a Championship. It was the way it happened.

The Thunder have improved to 56-12. Oklahoma City has already locked in a playoff spot, the No. 1 seed in the West and the Division title for the second straight season. What's left to play for? Especially against the 18-51 Buzz City Crew. Not to mention, missing Jalen Williams and Lu Dort from the lineup.

This was a B.O.Y.J. and T.C.B. Game. Bring your own juice and take care of business. That juice certainly wasn't coming from its opponent whose scare talent were all in street clothes. It didn't come from the half -full arena either. It came from one another. A Thunder team that from the opening tip, if you took away the context, looked like they were playing in a must-win game.

Ultimately, the Thunder did their job, dispatching the lowly Hornets in a game that on the surface level will be discarded when discussing its season-long resume. However, every night in the association you see teams fail to take care of business for one reason or another. The Nuggets have been swept in a two-game series against Washington. The Knicks fell to this Hornets squad less than 24 hours ago. That mid-season malaise never finds Oklahoma City, not under Mark Daigneault.

That is attributed to the culture and attitude this team plays with, it's 0-0 mindset that is more than just lip service, but a way of life.

The only hole that you can find with Oklahoma City to prevent you from picking them to reach the NBA finals is its lack of experience. However, this is a young team with an old soul.

As the Thunder continue to find ways to get up for lackluster games, that are otherwise cast as meaningless –– and from the outside looking in, are –– it shows that Oklahoma City will have no trouble finding the juice and rising to the occasion on the league's biggest stage.

After the Hornets cut the Thunder's 25-point lead down to ten, Oklahoma City was able to get the car back on the road via a 20-3 run. It never looked back, earning another wire-to-wire win that saw Oklahoma City's lead swell to 33.

This season has been nothing short of historic and it can not be discounted how the Thunder not only beat good teams but shows professionalism against bad ones, too. Some veteran-laden groups can't even manage that.

It is also a testament to this team's depth, as eight Thunder players cracked double-figures in this contest for just the fourth time in club history.

With a talented roster, a more battle-tested roster and a mature bunch that addressed its biggest weaknesses from last postseason; No hypothetical boogie man or catchall saying (Like battle scars) stands in the way of this team. They are just plain and simply, great.

All the data suggests, we are watching history in Bricktown.

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