On May 29, the NBA playoffs Western Conference Finals are in full swing, and the Thunder will face the Timberwolves in Game 5 at home today. Currently, the Thunder has a leading advantage in the series and is only one step away from advancing to the Finals. If the Thunder wins another game today, they will not only lock in a ticket to the Finals, but will also tie the legendary 1996-97 Chicago Bulls on the historical list of wins before the Finals, writing a new chapter for the young team.

According to statistics, the Thunder has won 79 games before the finals , including 68 regular season wins and 11 playoff wins, ranking fourth in the total number of wins in the same period of NBA history . If they win again today, they will tie the 1996-97 season Bulls led by Michael Jordan with 80 wins , and tie with this historical championship team for third place in history.

The top two teams on the list are the Golden State Warriors , who won 73 games in the 2015-16 regular season (85 wins before the finals), and the Chicago Bulls, who won 72 games in the 1995-96 regular season (83 wins before the finals ). All three teams are considered to be among the most dominant lineups in NBA history. Now the Thunder is writing a new era of mythology with extremely high efficiency and team basketball.

The rise of the Thunder this season has attracted the attention of the entire league. With a young lineup with an average age of less than 25, they have stood out in the fiercely competitive Western Conference. With Shai Gilgeous - Alexander as the core, coupled with the rapid growth of Chet Holmgren, the stable performance of Jaylen Williams and Josh Keady, and the team's efficient, fast, and coordinated play, the Thunder has become one of the most surprising dark horses this season.

In the regular season, the Thunder won 68 games and ranked first in the Western Conference with their excellent offensive and defensive balance . In the playoffs so far, they have eliminated experienced opponents one after another, and continue to accumulate experience and cohesion based on their youth and talent. This young team not only won games, but also won respect.

If the Thunder successfully defeat the Timberwolves today, they will not only end the series 4-1 and advance to the finals, but will also tie the 97 Bulls with 80 wins before the finals , becoming the fourth team in NBA history to reach 80 wins before the finals. This achievement is undoubtedly very valuable for a team whose core lineup is still in the growth stage, and it also indicates that they are expected to continue to remain competitive in the league in the next few years.

The ticket to the finals has not yet been obtained, but the Thunder are already standing on the threshold of history. If they can continue to advance triumphantly, they will not only rewrite the history of the team, but also may open the prelude to a new generation of Thunder dynasty.