Thunder chase No. 1
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s magic number for the West’s No. 1 seed has shrunk as the regular season winds down — they’re closing in on top seeding. (oklahoman.com) That race will shape first‑round matchups and home‑court leverage across the conference. (oklahoman.com)
Oklahoma City’s magic number to clinch the West’s top seed was listed at seven with eight regular‑season games remaining as of March 28, 2026. (oklahoman.com) The Thunder were 58‑16 and the San Antonio Spurs 55‑18 entering Sunday’s action, giving OKC a two‑loss cushion in the race for the West’s No. 1 overall seed. (espn.com) The Oklahoman explained the math the outlet used for the “magic number” — 83 minus the first‑place team’s wins plus the second‑place team’s losses — which produced the seven‑game threshold. (oklahoman.com) CBS Sports noted San Antonio holds the relevant tiebreaker over Oklahoma City, meaning a tied record would not automatically deliver OKC the top seed. (cbssports.com) Practically, that seven means any combination of seven Thunder wins and Spurs losses will clinch the West’s No. 1 seed for OKC before the regular season ends. (oklahoman.com) If Oklahoma City finishes first, the current bracket projection pairs the Thunder with an eventual West play‑in winner in the first round; the NBA scheduled the SoFi Play‑In for April 14–17 and the playoffs to begin April 18, 2026. (nba.com)
