Marcus Smart compares the Thunder to the Warriors' dynasty teams

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been talked about as a potential dynasty after they won last season's NBA championship. They won 68 regular-season games last year, and this year, despite some injuries to key players, they went 64-18 and are now 7-0 in the playoffs. After their 131-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals on Saturday, the Thunder are on the verge of a second straight sweep.

Some people, including Lakers coach JJ Redick, have been comparing Oklahoma City to the NBA's most recent dynasty: the Golden State Warriors , especially the Warriors squads from the mid-to-late 2010s that won three championships in four years and reached the finals five straight times. Following Game 3, Lakers guard Marcus Smart pointed out a similarity between this Thunder team and the fantastic Warriors teams from several years ago. "Both teams did a good job of getting in the paint, controlling the paint, scoring in the paint and then the 3s start falling after that," Smart said.

"With those Warrior teams, everybody thought they shoot the ball very well and that's what's killing [it]. But give up 60 paint points, that's it right there. Threes aren't going to kill you, but if you're giving up paint points like that and 3s, then that's when it starts to get out of hand.

"... They got a really good staff, really good players and a really good system that everybody buys in and it makes it tough on you. " As a member of the Boston Celtics, Smart played against the Stephen Curry-led Warriors during the 2022 NBA Finals, a series the Warriors won in six games.