OKLAHOMA CITY — The dream is now a reality. For the first time in franchise history, the Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champions.
After a grueling seven-game series, the Thunder completed their storybook season with a 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night at Paycom Center. The second-youngest team to ever win an NBA title, OKC capped its 84-win campaign—tied for the third-most in league history. And when the final buzzer sounded, disbelief and joy mingled on the faces of players who had never been this far, this tested, or this triumphant.
Oklahoma City’s championship journey was built on defense, depth, and the brilliance of its MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The 26-year-old capped off a historic season with 29 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds in the decisive game, earning him the Bill Russell Finals MVP trophy. Despite shooting just 8-of-27 from the field, Gilgeous-Alexander’s leadership and court vision guided the Thunder through Indiana’s relentless pressure.
“This moment is everything,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “So many nights of disbelief, and so many more of belief. I’m just grateful.”
His performance completed an all-time season in which he also secured the NBA scoring title, the league MVP, and the Western Conference Finals MVP joining the legendary trio of Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal as the only players to sweep those honors in a single year.
OKC’s identity has been forged on the defensive end all season, and Game 7 was no exception. The Thunder forced 21 turnovers, recorded 14 steals, and blocked seven shots , five of them coming from rookie center Chet Holmgren, who set a Game 7 record. Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace each contributed three steals, disrupting Indiana’s offensive rhythm and converting defense into quick buckets.
Their defensive tenacity was most evident late in the game, when the Pacers—already reeling from the heartbreaking early injury to star guard Tyrese Haliburton could no longer respond. Haliburton left the game in the first quarter after an apparent Achilles injury, a devastating blow that united even rival fans in applause as he was helped off the floor.
Once the final seconds ticked off, the celebration began—awkwardly. Many Thunder players, experiencing their first title, didn’t even know how to pop champagne bottles. Veteran guard Alex Caruso, a 2020 champion with the Lakers and the team’s elder statesman at 31, had to guide the locker room through the bubbly tradition.
“None of us knew how to do it,” joked Isaiah Hartenstein. “Some of us were literally on YouTube trying to figure it out.”
Eventually, they got the hang of it—just like they did with everything else this season.
This title was years in the making. From the heartbreak of losing a young core featuring Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden over a decade ago, to the patient rebuild orchestrated by general manager Sam Presti, Oklahoma City’s rise to the top has been both painful and poetic.
Presti’s pivotal trades and draft picksacquiring Gilgeous-Alexander, selecting Jalen Williams, and signing Holmgren and Caruso—proved to be masterstrokes. Coach Mark Daigneault’s leadership and steady hand earned him Coach of the Year honors, and together they created a culture rooted in discipline, humility, and fierce competitiveness.
“This isn’t the end of the road,” Holmgren said. “We’ve got so much more to prove.”
And they just might. Every key player is under contract. The Thunder own a cache of future draft picks, including four first-rounders in 2026. The dynasty chatter isn’t premature—it’s just beginning.
Indiana’s improbable postseason run deserves its own spotlight. After surging post-New Year’s Day, the Pacers battled their way to the Finals and took the 68-win Thunder to the brink. T.J. McConnell’s heroics off the bench, Pascal Siakam’s veteran presence, and the team’s relentless fight—even after Haliburton’s injury—earned respect from all corners.
“There was no surrender,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “Only defiant fight until the end.”
Still, Game 7 belonged to Oklahoma City.
The chants echoed: “O-K-C! O-K-C!”
Jalen Williams wept as he embraced teammates. Fans filled the streets of Bricktown. Champagne finally flowed in the locker room. And Gilgeous-Alexander, stoic all season, smiled.
Oklahoma City, once an untested frontier in the NBA landscape, is now home to a champion.
And with their youth, depth, and determination, don’t be surprised if they do it again. Only next time, they’ll know how to pop the corks.
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