The Oklahoma City Thunder took home the 2025 NBA championship — the first in the franchise’s 17 years — with a 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, capping a historically dominant year and remarkable turnaround for a young team that had spent years knocking on the door.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s Most Valuable Player, once again rose to the occasion, posting 29 points and 12 assists to lead the Thunder to victory. His performance earned him Finals MVP honors, capping off an extraordinary year both individually and for the team.
“It doesn’t feel real,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, the Finals MVP. “So many hours. So many moments. So many emotions. So many nights of disbelief. So many nights of belief. It’s crazy to know that we’re all here, but this group worked for it. This group put in the hours and we deserve this.”
The Pacers suffered a devastating blow early when All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton went down with a right Achilles injury while trying to drive to the basket with 4:55 left in the first quarter. The Pacers hung tough immediately following Haliburton’s injury and took a 48-47 lead into halftime. However, that’s when Oklahoma City — behind a brilliant stretch of play from the league’s Most Valuable Player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — had one of its dominating third quarters, outscoring Indiana 34-20 to take a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Oklahoma City ultimately won 84 games between the regular season and the playoffs, tying the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for third most in any season. Only Golden State (88 in 2016-17) and the Bulls (87 in 2015-16) won more.
The championship is the culmination of the vision of the team’s general manager, Sam Presti, who has been in charge since the franchise’s final season in Seattle in 2007-08. Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder have the second-most regular-season victories, behind only the Boston Celtics, and the fifth-most postseason victories.
But, until this season, the ultimate prize — a championship — had eluded the Thunder. After near misses when they lost in the NBA Finals to the Miami Heat in five games in 2012 and then in the Western Conference finals in 2014 and 2016, it was unclear if it would ever happen for one of the NBA’s smallest-market teams.
Most Wins In NBA History
2015-16 Warriors: 88
1995-96 Bulls: 87
2024-25 Thunder: 84
1996-97 Bulls: 84
2016-17 Warriors: 83
2014-15 Warriors: 83
