Oklahoma City is now the home of the NBA champions.
The Thunder completed its historical season with a 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals at Paycom Center, winning its first title in franchise history in a grueling series.
Regular season MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points, 12 assists and five rebounds. Jalen Williams also scored 20 points.
The Thunder led by as much as 22 in the game. The Pacers cut the lead to 10 late in the fourth, but OKC was able to close it out.
Indiana did lose star Tyrese Haliburton to an Achilles injury in the first quarter. But the Pacers never truly went away.
Until OKC subbed out is starters with 30 seconds remaining.
And the celebration began.
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Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the regular season hardware. Now, he has the postseason trophy.
Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA Finals MVP after the Thunder’s 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 on Sunday at Paycom Center.
SGA is the first player to win both MVP awards in the same season since LeBron James in 2013 with the Miami Heat.
Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, scored 29 points and had 12 assists in the clinching win. He averaged 30.3 points per game in the series, along with 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals. He also shot 91.4% from the free-throw line.
-Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor
5:57 left in fourth quarter: Thunder 90, Pacers 75 | Pacers cut into OKC’s large lead
The Thunder led by 22. Now, it’s just 15.
Bennedict Mathurin has made four foul shots to help cut the lead.
-Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor
End of third quarter: Thunder 81, Pacers 68 | Thunder create separation, inching closer to NBA title
Paycom Center is rocking louder than it ever has.
The Thunder opened the second half in sync after missing 14 3-pointers in the first half. However, the tide has shifted dramatically in OKC’s favor ever since.
Lu Dort’s logo 3-pointer to open the half sparked a downpour of threes thereafter.
OKC sparked a 9-0 run midway through the third following a barrage of threes to create separation. Yet, TJ McConnell, as he has all series, remained a thorn in the Thunder side since checking in with 8:54 to play. He’s up to a team-high 16 points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads OKC with 22 points, 10 assists and four rebounds.
With 12 minutes to go and a 13-point lead, the Thunder have positioned itself closer to an NBA title.
-Jordan Davis, Staff writer
1:27 left in third quarter: Thunder 79, Pacers 68 | OKC takes largest lead of Game 7
Jalen Williams, after a meager first half, has come alive in this third. Seven points, two steals, a plus-14. Getting to the rim and finishing tough stuff. OKC racking up the points off turnovers. This 11-point lead is the largest of the game.
—Joel Lorenzi, Staff writer
7:13 left in third quarter: Thunder 65, Pacers 56 | OKC’s Big Three each hit a 3 to extend lead
Timeout Pacers.
9:20 left in third quarter: Thunder 56, Pacers 51 | Lu Dort drains rainbow 3-pointer
Thunder needs to capitalize on what Lu Dort is giving it. He’s lunged toward every loose ball and just hit the wildest moon ball I’ve ever seen.
—Joel Lorenzi, Staff writer
The Tyrese Haliburton seemed to cause a hangover for both teams.
After the Pacers star was injured and had to be helped to the locker room with 4:05 left in the first quarter — he was officially ruled out for the remainder of the game about midway through the second quarter — there was a serious sluggishness on the Paycom Center court. Well into the second quarter, neither team shot or executed well.
During one stretch, the Thunder even missed four of six shots from the free-throw line.
Yuck.
And it feels like the Pacers might’ve come out of the stupor more than the Thunder. Indiana won the second quarter 26-22, going 8 of 17 from the floor while holding Oklahoma City to a 7-of-22 performance in the frame.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads all scorers with 16 points while the Pacers have four players with eight or more points, led by Pascal Siakam’s 10.
—Jenni Carlson, Columnist
Cason Wallace is here. Three steals, two of them in the backcourt this quarter.
Early second quarter: Pacers officially rule out Tyrese Haliburton from Game 7 of NBA Finals
The Pacers said Tyrese Haliburton will not return after suffering a lower-leg injury on his right leg.
End of first quarter: Thunder 25, Pacers 22 | Tyrese Haliburton exits game with scary injury after hot start
Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton exited the game at the 6:58 mark of the first quarter with an apparent leg injury.
Haliburton slipped while attempting to drive to the rim. And, after being surrounded by his entire team for a brief moment, he eventually got up and limped off the floor with assistance.
Haliburton was listed as questionable entering the championship-deciding game due to a right calf strain that he suffered in Game 5. He has since played through the injury.
Calf strains are notoriously-dangerous injuries to play through. A recent example of that decision backfiring is Kevin Durant, who ruptured his Achilles tendon after he opted to play through a calf strain in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. The fear is that Haliburton has suffered a similar fate.
Haliburton scored nine points on 3-for-4 shooting from deep before his abrupt departure. He was replaced by backup point guard T.J. McConnell.
Indiana has continued to fight during Haliburton’s absence, as it only trails 25-22 at the end of the first quarter. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is leading OKC with eight points and four assists.
—Justin Martinez, Staff writer
Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton exited the first quarter of Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday with an apparent leg injury.
Haliburton slipped with just over seven minutes on the clock. And, after being surrounded by his entire team for a brief moment, he eventually got up and limped off the floor with assistance.
Haliburton was listed as questionable entering the championship-deciding game due to a right calf strain that he suffered in Game 5. He has since played through the injury.
Calf strains are notoriously-dangerous injuries to play through. A recent example of that decision backfiring is Kevin Durant, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon after he opted to play through a calf strain in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals.
Haliburton scored nine points on 3-for-4 shooting from deep before his abrupt departure. He was replaced by backup point guard T.J. McConnell.
—Justin Martinez, Staff writer
6:58 left in first quarter: Pacers 14, Thunder 10 | Tyrese Haliburton off to hot start with nine points
Action-packed start in OKC. Tough shotmaking on OKC’s end. Thunder defending well deep into the clock, but it can’t let those long possessions end in decent-looking 3s. Pacers already have several.
—Joel Lorenzi, Staff writer
This is the loudest I’ve ever heard Paycom. Legitimately fearful for my hearing.
—Joel Lorenzi, Staff writer
NBA Finals Game 7: Thunder starting lineup
(With postseason averages)
NBA Finals Game 7: Pacers starting lineup
(With postseason averages)
A video of open-topped buses, wrapped in Thunder blue with “2025 Champions” down the side, circulated on X before Game 7.
Who knows if the video is real, but regardless of its efficacy, the Pacers are using it as extra motivation heading into a winner-take-all Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
“I just saw a video that’s probably going to go viral, with open-top buses presumably for the parade, already painted with them as champions,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said in his pregame media availability. “So that’s what I’m thinking about right now.”
Carlisle’s response was unrelated to the question that was asked. When asked a follow-up about the video, Carlisle declined to elaborate.
—Joe Mussatto, Staff writer
Six games. It’s all the time Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault is ever gonna receive to correct the Thunder’s ball movement in these NBA Finals thus far.
He’s tried to mock up ways as best as he could. But his team, which has succeeded in ugly games and won in unlikely ways (as recently as Game 4), will be given the benefit of trust in their offensive process Sunday.
“We always try to address the things that are holding us back,” Daigneault said. “But at the same time, we also have to trust our work and trust our habits and that sort of thing. The playoffs are inconvenient. It’s hard to score. Both teams’ offensive ratings and metrics are down from the regular season and previous playoff series.
“Some of it is just about how you endure that as a team and can you get back on track and can you win possessions in the mud at times, because the playoff series get muddy and the possessions get muddy.”
—Joel Lorenzi, Staff writer
How many Finals have the Thunder won?
Oklahoma City has not won an NBA championship, but the Seattle Supersonics won the 1979 title. The franchise relocated to OKC before the 2008 season.
How many Finals have the Pacers won?
Indiana has not won an NBA championship, but the Pacers twice won the ABA championship (1972-73).
Here’s the crew for Game 7 of the NBA Finals:
Date: Sunday, June 22Time: 7 p.m. CTWhere: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City
The Thunder vs Pacers game starts at 7 p.m. CT Sunday from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
Where to watch Thunder vs Pacers Game 7 in NBA Finals
The Thunder vs Pacers game will be broadcast on ABC. It can be streamed on Fubo and ESPN+.
NBA Finals schedule: Thunder vs. Pacers
All times are Central
Thunder vs. Pacers betting odds
Odds via BetMGM as of Sunday, June 22
Odds: Thunder by 7.5
Over/under: 214.5
Moneyline: OKC -275 | Indiana +220
Thunder vs Pacers predictions, expert picks for NBA Finals Game 7
Justin Martinez: OKC 111, Indiana 107
Maybe Rick Carlisle has another team of destiny on his hands after leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 2011 title over the Miami Heat. Maybe the oddsmakers in Las Vegas were wildly wrong about this series for once. Maybe it’s too soon for the young Thunder to fully take the NBA by storm. But I don’t think it is. I’m still going with OKC, which has played significantly better at home this postseason. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will surely bounce back after a rough Game 6, and the Thunder’s defense will surely return to its disruptive ways. Give me OKC to win it all.
Games: 76Points: 32.7 per gameRebounds: 5.0 per gameAssists: 6.4 per gameSteals: 1.7 per gameBlocks: 1.0 per gameField-goal shooting: 51.9%3-point shooting: 37.5%Free-throw shooting: 89.8%Games: 73Points: 18.6 per gameRebounds: 3.5 per gameAssists: 9.2 per gameSteals: 1.4 per gameBlocks: 0.7 per gameField-goal shooting: 47.3%3-point shooting: 38.8%Free-throw shooting: 85.1%T.J. McConnell stats for 2024-25 NBA seasonGames: 79Points: 9.1 per gameRebounds: 2.4 per gameAssists: 4.4 per gameSteals: 1.1 per gameBlocks: 0.3 per gameField-goal shooting: 51.9%3-point shooting: 30.6%Free-throw shooting: 74.0%Thunder vs Pacers highlights in NBA Finals Game 7
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