Newly crowned Western Conference Champions Oklahoma City Thunder are headed to the NBA Finals to face the Pacers or the Knicks, after an impressive game 5 victory Wednesday.
MORE COVERAGE: OKC Thunder headed to NBA Finals after Game 5 victory over Timberwolves
It’s OKC’s first playoff appearance since 2012, so we thought we’d take a look at how the world has changed in the past 13 years since the Thunder nearly won it all.
Tech and entertainment that did not exist the last time OKC made the NBA Finals
Amazon Echo/Alexa: released in 2014
The Amazon Echo revolutionized home tech when it was released on November 6, 2014. The voice-activated assistant, powered by Artificial Intelligence known as Alexa gave early adopters music, news, and sports updates around the clock, all they had to do was ask.
Apple Watch: released in 2015
Apple released its first smartwatch in April 2015, and it quickly became the world’s best-selling wearable device.
AirPods: Released in 2016
The last time the Thunder were in the NBA Playoffs, no one was walking around with the now-common white AirPods in their ear, listening to their favorite music or podcasts. The first generation of the Apple headphones were released on December 13, 2016.
Stranger Things: Premiered in 2016
The hit Netflix show sparked a massive wave of ’80s nostalgia when it debuted on the streaming service Netflix in 2016.
 Streaming. Everything.
Netflix has gained some competition and the streaming landscape has changed since the last time OKC took the playoff stage. Disney+, Apple TV+, Peacock, and Max didn’t exist in 2012.
What’s your favorite fun fact about 2012 versus 2025? Here are some more cultural/trend differences from ESPN.