The Oklahoma City Thunder wrapped up a remarkable season by defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, securing the franchise’s inaugural title since moving from Seattle in 2008.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), dazzled the energetic crowd at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center, scoring 29 points and providing 12 assists in the championship game on Sunday.
He was also named Finals MVP, becoming the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in 2002 to win the scoring title, regular season MVP, and Finals MVP in the same season.
The Pacers faced a tough setback early in the game when their star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, succumbed to an Achilles injury during the first quarter, undermining their title chances against a relentless Oklahoma City defense in the latter half.
“It feels surreal,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “We’ve had so many hours of work, emotions, disbelief, and belief along the way.”
“This team has worked hard. We put in the effort, and we’ve earned this victory,” he continued.
This championship marks an incredible journey for the Thunder, who ended the regular season with a dominant 68-14 record, which stands as the fifth-highest win total in a single NBA season.
The Finals showcased two small-market teams missing big-name stars but were filled with excitement, as the unexpected Eastern Conference champions, the Pacers, pushed the league’s top team to a decisive Game 7.
The Pacers began strong as Haliburton hit his third three-pointer just five minutes into the match, but Indiana’s fortunes changed drastically when he slipped and fell two minutes later.
The two-time All-Star was in tears while the medical staff rushed to assist him, causing the crowd of Oklahoma City fans to fall silent.
Haliburton was taken to the locker room and did not return; although the team did not provide an official update, a broadcast reported that he had sustained an Achilles injury.
The determined Pacers managed to keep the game competitive through a tough second quarter, showcasing a strong defensive stance to lead by one at halftime.
However, the Thunder took command with Gilgeous-Alexander, who had struggled with three-point shooting in the first half, igniting the team with a 25-foot three-pointer four minutes into the third quarter.
Although the Pacers had a knack for late comebacks during the playoffs, they couldn’t recover without Haliburton, as the Thunder surged to start the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run.
Challenges of Youthful Champions
The youthful exuberance of the Thunder was palpable during their postgame celebrations.
“None of us knew how to pop the champagne bottles,” remarked Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein.
They quickly learned, thanks to 31-year-old Alex Caruso, the oldest player on the roster and the only one with prior NBA championship experience.
“AC [Caruso] really helped us out with a tutorial,” Hartenstein said.
While their youth was a strength, it also led to moments of inconsistency.
“Throughout this journey, I aimed to guide the guys to just be ourselves, and that’s all we needed,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault.
The Pacers remain without an NBA championship.
Things could have been more challenging for Indiana if not for point guard TJ McConnell, who scored 12 points in the third quarter, making six of Indiana’s eight field goals during that period.
Bennedict Mathurin topped the Pacers’ scoring with 24 points off the bench, while Pascal Siakam and McConnell each contributed 16 points.
In a notable feat, the Thunder became the first team since 1988 to hit 100 or more points in a Game 7 of the NBA Finals, emulating the Los Angeles Lakers who defeated the Detroit Pistons 108-105.
Caruso, who was part of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2020 championship team, expressed hopes that his postgame tips would benefit the team in the future.
“We’ll take some time to rest and aim to repeat this success next year,” Caruso stated. “Next year, we’ll be even better at it.”
