MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - MARCH 05: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ... More ball against Desmond Bane #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half at FedExForum on March 05, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) Getty Images It was a historic regular season for the Oklahoma City Thunder, finishing with the NBA’s best record at 68-14. On multiple levels, the campaign the Thunder just put together was one of the best ever, but it’s a clean slate now that the playoffs are here. None of that matters if Oklahoma City can’t continue its dominance into the postseason. The Thunder has a legitimate chance to win a title this season, but it will take everything coming into place perfectly over the next several weeks. The NBA Playoffs started on Saturday, with OKC’s first game taking place on Sunday afternoon. In the first round, the Thunder will take on the Memphis Grizzlies. Oklahoma City earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, while Memphis snuck into the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament. Only eight teams from the West will ultimately get a shot to win the conference, with final seeding officially set. Oklahoma City Thunder Houston Rockets Los Angeles Lakers Denver Nuggets LA Clippers Minnesota Timberwolves Golden State Warriors Memphis Grizzlies Here’s what the Thunder’s path to an NBA Championship could look like. First Round MORE FOR YOU WWE WrestleMania 41 Results: Jacob Fatu Tops LA Knight, Wins US Title WWE WrestleMania 41 Results As Tiffany Stratton Dethrones Charlotte Flair UFC Announces First Eight Fights For UFC 316 Pay-Per-View Card Opponent: Memphis Grizzlies Sunday afternoon will be the kickoff point for the Thunder’s opening series, as the Grizzlies will take the floor against Oklahoma City at Paycom Center. During the regular season, the Thunder won all four games against Memphis by a wide margin and had no problem sweeping the series. That could happen again in the playoffs, as OKC will be heavy favorites in this first-round series. The Grizzlies certainly have stars on the roster, but the Thunder matches up extremely well head-to-head. Western Conference Semifinals Potential Opponents: Denver Nuggets or LA Clippers Assuming the Thunder advances past the Grizzlies, the next opponent will be a difficult one. Oklahoma City would then take on the series winner between the Denver Nuggets (No. 4) and LA Clippers (No. 5). Oklahoma City would be the favorite against either of these opponents, but both the Nuggets and Clippers have the talent to make the series very competitive. Denver won the title just two years ago and is headlined by Nikola Jokic, while LA has a great defense and several individual scorers who can pose a threat on offense. Western Conference Finals Potential Opponents: Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves or Golden State Warriors The expectation is that the Thunder will have a clear path to the Western Conference Finals, which will undoubtedly be an extremely tough series. While the Houston Rockets are the No. 2 seed in the West, the Los Angeles Lakers (No. 3) are the favorite of the potential teams on that side of the bracket who could face OKC in the conference finals. From there, there’s certainly an outside chance that the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 6) or Golden State Warriors (No. 7) could sneak into this round, but it’s less likely. For the Thunder specifically, the Lakers would be the toughest head-to-head matchup with a duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic leading the way. Opponent: Eastern Conference Finals Winner If Oklahoma City makes it to the NBA Finals, the franchise would be four wins away from its first-ever championship. There are eight teams from the Eastern Conference in the playoffs, but the two clear favorites to make it to the NBA Finals from that side of the bracket are the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. Luckily for the Thunder, earning the best record in the regular season means that OKC will have homecourt advantage throughout, including the NBA Finals. As such, Oklahoma City would host that series no matter who makes it out of the East. Follow me on Twitter. Editorial StandardsForbes Accolades