The Oklahoma City Thunder have climbed to the summit of the NBA. With a 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, the Thunder claimed their first NBA championship since the franchise relocated from Seattle in 2008, delivering a long-awaited title to Oklahoma City.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the heart and soul of this youthful, relentless Thunder team, capped his MVP season with 29 points and 12 assists. As the final buzzer sounded, he embraced head coach Mark Daigneault and smiled as the climb was over, the rebuild complete.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after being named both regular-season and Finals MVP. “So many hours. So many moments. So many emotions. So many nights of disbelief. So many nights of belief. It’s crazy to know that we’re all here, but this group worked for it. This group put in the hours, and we deserve this.”
The Thunder’s victory came despite a gritty first-half performance by the Pacers, who led 48-47 at halftime. But Indiana’s momentum was shaken early when star guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered a serious leg injury just seven minutes into the game. Oklahoma City took control with a 34-20 third quarter, building a double-digit lead they never relinquished.
Jalen Williams added 20 points, and rookie center Chet Holmgren chipped in with 18. The Thunder finished the year with 84 combined wins—regular season and playoffs—tying the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for the third most in a single season. Only the 2016-17 Warriors and 2015-16 Bulls had more.
“They behave like champions. They compete like champions,” Daigneault said. “They root for each other’s success, which is rare in professional sports. They are an uncommon team and now they’re champions.”
The Pacers, still searching for their first NBA crown, saw strong performances from Bennedict Mathurin (24 points, 13 rebounds) and TJ McConnell, who admitted, “Deflated, but proud of everything we’ve accomplished.” Despite holding leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the series, Indiana couldn’t withstand the Thunder’s depth and energy.
The 2024-25 Thunder now join an elite group as the youngest team in nearly 50 years to win an NBA title. In October, for the first time, a championship banner will rise in Oklahoma City, not inherited from Seattle, but earned outright by a team that believed and delivered.
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