The Oklahoma City Thunder captured the 2025 NBA Championship on Sunday, defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in a dramatic Game 7 finale at the Paycom Center. With the win, Oklahoma City secured its first NBA title since the franchise's move from Seattle in 2008, marking a storybook end to their league-leading 68-win season.
Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a brilliant all-around performance, scoring 29 points and dishing out 12 assists. His efforts not only led the Thunder to victory but also earned him the NBA Finals MVP, adding to his already impressive season haul that includes the regular-season MVP and scoring title.
The Pacers’ hopes took a major blow early in the game as their leading star Tyrese Haliburton, already battling a right calf injury, exited just seven minutes into the first quarter. Haliburton had scored nine points all from deep before collapsing in pain while attempting a drive. He was helped off the court, casting a shadow over Indiana’s already tough task.
Despite the setback, the Pacers kept the game tight and led 48-47 at halftime, thanks to sharp three-point shooting, including a buzzer-beater by Andrew Nembhard. But Oklahoma City stormed back in the third quarter, outscoring the Pacers 34-20 and building a double-digit lead that held through the fourth.
The Thunder found their rhythm from beyond the arc in the third, with Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren, and Jalen Williams all connecting from deep in a 9-0 run that shifted the momentum. Williams finished with 20 points 15 in the second half while rookie Chet Holmgren added 18 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks.
Defensively, Oklahoma City capitalized on 23 Pacers turnovers, converting them into 32 points enough to blunt any Indiana comeback attempts. Though the Pacers had shown resilience all postseason overcoming a 10-15 start and multiple double-digit playoff deficits the final hurdle proved insurmountable.
Bennedict Mathurin led Indiana with 24 points off the bench, while Pascal Siakam and T.J. McConnell each added 16. Nembhard contributed 15 points in the loss. But without Haliburton, the Pacers lacked the offensive engine needed to keep pace with the Thunder in the second half.
Sunday’s win marks a significant milestone for Oklahoma City, completing a stunning turnaround for a young squad built around emerging stars and smart drafting. As confetti rained down in front of a roaring home crowd, Gilgeous-Alexander summed up the moment: “It doesn’t feel real… but this group worked for it. We deserved this.”
