The championship hangover doesn’t seem to apply to the Oklahoma City Thunder. They matched the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors for the greatest 25-game start in NBA history with a 24-1 sprint. However, Oklahoma City’s 16-game win streak was snapped Saturday in a 111-109 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup semifinal.

At 24-2, the Thunder have put together the second-best start in NBA history. They have a real chance of breaking the regular-season win mark of 73-9 set by that same Warriors squad. Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made it clear Friday that his team very much cares about that record.

As the defending champions chase history, here’s a look at some of the greatest season starts across North American professional sports history.

2015-16 Golden State Warriors: 29-1

The Warriors hold the league record for the best start in NBA history. Coming off a championship in 2014-15, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green led the Warriors to a 24-0 start. No team had ever started a season better than 15-0 before then, and it remains the gold standard 10 years later.

The undefeated campaign ended on Dec. 12, 2015, in Milwaukee, when Golden State lost 108-95 to a Bucks team that eventually finished 33-49. A 21-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo had 11 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. After that loss, the Warriors ripped off five straight victories to improve to 29-1 before losing to the Dallas Mavericks. Golden State went on to finish 73-9, breaking the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ previous record of 72-10. However, this Warriors team is most famous for blowing a 3-1 lead to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals.

2007 New England Patriots: 18-0

Like the 73-9 Warriors, this historic New England Patriots season ended in heartbreak. The likes of Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker led New England to the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history during the 16-game schedule era. They eventually reached the Super Bowl after playoff wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers.

But quarterback Eli Manning and the New York Giants shocked the sports world in the Super Bowl. As 12-point underdogs, New York ended the Patriots’ quest for an undefeated season in a stunning 17-14 win. David Tyree’s helmet catch is the play that still gives Patriots fans nightmares.

1972 Dolphins: 17-0

Coach Don Shula’s Dolphins still have the only perfect season in NFL history, roughly 53 years later. Running backs Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris were the first teammates in the NFL to each rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. Starting quarterback Bob Griese was injured in Week 5, but 38-year-old journeyman Earl Morrall took Miami to the AFC Championship Game before Griese finished the job. Known as the “No-Name Defense,” Miami’s defensive unit allowed just 12.2 points per game. The team featured nine Pro Bowlers.

All three Dolphins playoff wins were one-score games. They beat the Cleveland Browns 20-14 in the divisional round and defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-17 in the AFC Championship Game. Miami then held on for a 14-7 win over Washington in Super Bowl VII.

Shortstop Alan Trammell helped lead the Detroit Tigers to their 1984 World Series victory. (James Drake / Getty Images)

1984 Detroit Tigers: 35-5

With the 162-game MLB season, it’s worth looking at great starts on a slightly different scale. The last Detroit Tigers team to win the World Series owns the best record through the first 40 games in MLB history. Hall of Famer Alan Trammell slashed .314/.382/.468 with 34 doubles and 69 RBIs in 139 regular-season games.

Another Cooperstown member, Jack Morris, was the Tigers’ ace, throwing nine complete games in the regular season and two in the World Series. Closer Willie Hernández had arguably the best relief season in MLB history, winning the Cy Young award and MVP. Hernández had a 1.92 ERA and 32 saves in a whopping 80 regular-season appearances, and is one of just four relievers to be named MVP.

The Tigers never trailed in the AL East, finishing the regular season 104-58. They went 8-1 in the playoffs, winning the World Series over the San Diego Padres in five games.

It’s worth noting that the longest win streak to start a season in MLB is held by three teams: The 1982 Atlanta Braves, 1987 Milwaukee Brewers and 2023 Tampa Bay Rays all started 13-0.

2008-09 San Jose Sharks: 25-5-0

The Sharks made the playoffs 19 out of 21 times between 1998 and 2019, yet they reached only one Stanley Cup Final and lost. Their best regular season during that period came in 2008-09. They earned 52 points through their first 30 games, an NHL record, playing no overtime games.

Seven San Jose players had at least 50 points, and the Sharks were led by future Hall of Famers Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, who each had 70-plus points apiece. The Sharks earned the President’s Trophy with 117 points and a mark of 53-18-11.

Yet as loaded as the Sharks were, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks in six games. Despite losing just five games at “The Shark Tank” all season, San Jose dropped the first two contests of the series and couldn’t recover.

Marleau and Thornton later reached the 2016 Stanley Cup Final together, but neither ever captured the elusive championship. The Sharks have not reached the postseason since 2019.

NHL Honorable Mention: 2025-26 Colorado Avalanche

Through its first 30 games this season, Colorado came just shy of breaking San Jose’s record. The Avalanche had 49 points during that span with a 21-2-7 record. After wins over the Florida Panthers on Thursday and the Nashville Predators on Saturday, coach Jared Bednar’s group has 53 points through 32 games.