The Oklahoma City Thunder have capped off an extraordinary season by securing their first NBA championship since relocating from Seattle in 2008, defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in a thrilling Game 7 on Sunday night.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s Most Valuable Player, led from the front in front of a raucous crowd at the Paycom Center, scoring 29 points and providing 12 assists. The Canadian star was also named Finals MVP, becoming the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in 2002 to claim the scoring title, regular season MVP and Finals MVP in the same year.
“It doesn’t feel real,” said an emotional Gilgeous-Alexander. “So many hours, so many moments, so many emotions, so many nights of disbelief, so many nights of belief. This group works hard. This group put in the hours and we deserve this.”
The Pacers’ hopes took a devastating blow early in the contest when star point guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury midway through the first quarter. The two-time All-Star had made a bright start, draining three three-pointers within the opening five minutes. However, disaster struck just minutes later as he slipped and fell awkwardly. He was helped to the locker room in visible distress and did not return. Although the team did not release an official statement, a television broadcast reported an Achilles injury.
Despite the setback, Indiana showed resilience and matched Oklahoma City’s intensity through a physical second quarter, edging into half-time with a one-point lead.
But the second half belonged to the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander, who had missed all five of his three-point attempts in the first half, finally found his range with a 25-foot effort early in the third quarter. From there, the Western Conference champions took control.
While the Pacers had carved a reputation for late-game heroics throughout the postseason, the absence of Haliburton proved too much to overcome. The Thunder began the fourth quarter with a decisive 9-0 run, effectively sealing the contest and the title.
The victory crowns a historic campaign for Oklahoma City, who finished the regular season with a 68-14 record—the fifth-best in NBA history. The Finals, featuring two small-market teams, may have lacked the marquee names of recent years but more than made up for it with drama and intensity.
For the Thunder, and for Gilgeous-Alexander, it is a moment of vindication, reward, and triumph after a season of excellence.
