The Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champions. In a dramatic Game 7 showdown on Sunday night, the Thunder pulled away from the Indiana Pacers for a 103-91 win to clinch the 2025 NBA Finals, earning the franchise its first title since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008 — and just the second in franchise history, the first coming in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics.
Led by superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder completed their dominant season in fitting fashion. Gilgeous-Alexander capped his historic year with 29 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds, earning NBA Finals MVP honors to go along with his regular-season MVP and scoring title — a trifecta last accomplished by Shaquille O’Neal in 2000.
"This is what you dream about," Gilgeous-Alexander said, reflecting on a season for the ages. "Winning it all, doing it with your brothers, for this city. It's surreal."
A Crushing Turn: Haliburton Injury Alters Game, Series, and Future
The game’s tone shifted early when Indiana’s star guard, Tyrese Haliburton, collapsed to the floor with a non-contact right leg injury just five minutes into the first quarter. He had been playing through a calf strain suffered in Game 5, but Sunday’s injury appeared more severe. He did not return, and initial fears suggest a torn Achilles.
Before the injury, Haliburton had started hot, scoring nine points on three 3-pointers in the opening minutes. Without him, the Pacers struggled to maintain rhythm, especially against OKC’s relentless defense. They trailed by just one at halftime, but a 19–2 Thunder run in the third quarter broke the game open.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said postgame. “Tyrese gave us everything. The kid was electric this postseason, and this setback won’t define him. He’ll be back.”
Haliburton’s long-term injury casts doubt on Indiana’s future. With Haliburton potentially sidelined for most, if not all, of next season, and key free agents like Myles Turner hitting the market, the Pacers suddenly face big offseason decisions.
Oklahoma City Finishes What It Started
The Thunder were the league’s best team wire to wire in 2025, winning 68 games in the regular season and then grinding through the postseason with a 16-7 record. They needed seven games to get past both the Denver Nuggets and the Pacers, but leaned on their defensive identity all the way.
In Game 7, OKC’s defense turned chaos into points. They forced 21 turnovers, which turned into 32 fast-break and transition points. Chet Holmgren tallied five blocks, while Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, and Jalen Williams each recorded multiple steals.
"We’ve said it all year — our defense is our foundation," coach Mark Daigneault said. "It’s what kept us in games, won us games, and tonight it helped win a championship."
Thunder’s Youth Leads the Way
Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t alone. Jalen Williams added 20 points, and rookie big man Chet Holmgren chipped in 18 with elite rim protection. Remarkably, the Thunder did it all with a roster whose average age is under 26, making them the youngest champion in modern NBA history.
“This is just the beginning,” Holmgren said. “We’re not satisfied. We want more.”
A Historic Season for SGA
Gilgeous-Alexander’s stat line in the Finals — 30.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game — was among the most complete ever by a guard on the championship stage. He joins Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O'Neal as the only players to win MVP, Finals MVP, and the scoring title in the same year.
“It’s humbling, to be mentioned with names like that,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “But we’re not chasing comparisons. We’re building our own legacy here.”
Pacers Bow Out with Heads Held High
Despite the heartbreak, the Pacers leave the 2025 playoffs with pride. As the Eastern Conference’s fifth seed and a clear underdog, Indiana knocked off the Celtics and Bucks, then nearly pulled off the upset of the year in the Finals.
Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers in scoring in Game 7 with 24 points, while veterans like T.J. McConnell and Aaron Nesmith gave spirited efforts. But without Haliburton, their margin for error evaporated.
"We believed we could do this, and I think we proved a lot of people wrong," McConnell said. "But hats off to the Thunder. They were better tonight."
Final Thoughts
This Game 7 was the 20th in NBA Finals history — and the Thunder became the 15th home team to win one. It also marked the first time a team cracked 100 points in a Finals Game 7 since 1988.
Oklahoma City’s title wasn't a miracle run — it was the result of years of patient team-building, star development, and a commitment to defense. They weren’t the hottest team. They were simply the best.
