- Oklahoma City Thunder won their first NBA title after beating Indiana Pacers 103:91 in Game 7 of the Finals
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named Finals MVP and became the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 to win both season and Finals MVP while also being league top scorer
- Indiana’s star Tyrese Haliburton left the game early with an Achilles injury, which may sideline him for the entire next season
Key Takeaways:
Oklahoma City Thunder became NBA champions for the first time in their history. Mark Daigneault’s team won the decisive Game 7 of the Finals against Indiana Pacers 103:91 and lifted the title. The Thunder deservedly climbed to the top after recording the best regular-season record and eliminating Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs before facing Indiana.
Regular season MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again took on the leadership role for Oklahoma, guiding the hosts with 29 points and an impressive 12 assists, while also adding 5 rebounds. Jaylen Williams contributed 17 points to the championship win, with Chet Holmgren adding 16.
The @okcthunder are the 2024-25 NBA Champions! pic.twitter.com/EsPIcjgVFx
— NBA (@NBA) June 23, 2025
Indiana started the game strongly but lost their big star Tyrese Haliburton in the middle of the first quarter. The guard, who had not fully recovered but played in Game 6 of the series, was injured and could not continue. He left the floor with help from teammates, and later his father explained that the issue was with the Achilles tendon in his right leg. More clarity about the severity of the injury will come after an MRI scan.
In the 7 minutes Haliburton played, he was unstoppable. He hit three of four three-point attempts, and the Pacers were evenly matched with the hosts, but after that the balance of power gradually tilted in Oklahoma’s favour. Despite Haliburton’s absence, Indiana stayed competitive until halftime and even held a one-point lead — 48:47. After the break, however, Oklahoma took advantage of Indiana’s dip in performance and largely decided the game with a dominant third quarter. 18 of OKC’s 34 points in the period came from opponent mistakes.
Bennedict Mathurin was Indiana’s most productive player with 24 points and 13 rebounds, but his double-double wasn’t enough to keep the intrigue alive until the end. T.J. McConnell again performed at a high level and scored 16 points. Pascal Siakam also had 16 but was completely neutralised in the second half.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named Finals MVP. The Oklahoma star averaged 30.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists. The Canadian is the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 to end the season as the league’s top scorer and also win the MVP awards for both the regular season and the Finals.
Oklahoma is the seventh different NBA champion in the last seven seasons. The Thunder have been part of the League since 2008, inheriting the Seattle SuperSonics.
Indiana remains one of the teams that have never won the title. Pacers fans will now wait anxiously for news on Haliburton and hope that the predictions he might miss the entire next season do not come true.