As the playoffs begin, it’s borderline asinine to label a 55-win Oklahoma City Thunder squad as the West’s potential shocker. However, with the historically dominant campaigns of the Golden State Warriors — NBA regular season record for wins — and San Antonio Spurs (67-15), this is the apt moniker a capable Thunder unit carries into the 2016 postseason.

While ever-potent Oklahoma City boasts the league’s second-highest scoring average (110.2), third-best overall plus/minus (plus-7.3) and tops the association in rebounds per game (48.6), this accomplished group has been overshadowed mightily all season by the powerhouses perched above them among the Western Conference standings.

Unfortunately for the Thunder, this dynamic dyad combined for a mind-boggling regular season record of 140-24. Let that sink in for a minute. That’s right, 140-24. The lion’s share of the 2015-16 NBA regular season will be remembered as the Warriors and Spurs’ runaway battle for 70 wins. All year, the West’s two best resided within a competitive stratosphere all their own.

Even Cinderella may roll her eyes at any one team’s chances in defeating these potent powerhouses in succession.

However, if the Thunder are to shock the masses, it will likely occur opposite the fifth-best (San Antonio, .817) and all-time best (Golden State, .890) winning percentages in NBA history. Of the other 10 teams to finish 67-15 or better, eight captured an elusive NBA title. Barring major upsets, Oklahoma City is grimly awaiting potential matchups with both the Spurs and Warriors along their mine-filled path toward an NBA Finals berth.

Nonetheless, the Thunder do not come unprepared. Oklahoma City boasts a dominant duo all their own. OKC’s Kevin Durant (28.2) and Russell Westbrook (23.5) are the league’s only teammates to finish among the top 10 in scoring average. While OKC’s all-world combo combined for an eye-popping 51.3 points, 15.4 assists, 16 rebounds and 17.2 trips to the line, it’s plausible both could catch fire during any given series and pull out victory.

Furthermore, given Oklahoma City’s 2-2 regular-season record against San Antonio, the first leg of the journey seems far less daunting. Both teams managed to hold court at home. A second-round triumph over the aging Spurs doesn’t seem that far a stretch for Durant and company. Unfortunately, a series triumph opposite the 73-9 Warriors is a different animal altogether.

On the year, the Thunder were swept 3-0 by the defending champions. The outcome of those three contests was decided by a stiff average of 8.7 points in Golden State’s favor. One may ask how Oklahoma City can rewrite the script and pull out history.

The most obvious factor swaying in the Thunder’s favor is that the postseason brings a different style of play. During the “second season” every possession becomes a cauldron-esque pressure grinder. “Run-and-gun” gives way to cautious, deliberate, half-court sets. In such a setting, the Warriors loss in efficacy is Oklahoma City’s gain.

The physicality of the Thunder frontline will also play a major factor should these two teams meet in the Western Conference Finals. Though improbable on paper, Oklahoma City can shock the masses this postseason, en route to surpassing 140-24 for an NBA Finals berth.