Marquette, MI, – June 24, 2025 – After a hard-fought 7-game series between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma can officially say they won an NBA Championship. Thunder, led by the NBA M.V.P. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), averaging 32.7 points per game (PPG) on 51.9% field goal percentage, 6.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game. Haliburton had a chip on his shoulder after being voted the most overrated player in the NBA by other players in the league. Although Haliburton averages 18.6 PPG, 3.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and has led his team to the NBA Finals when not many thought they would get there.
The Pacers headed into Oklahoma for the first two games of the series, and they shocked a lot of people as they took game one (111 – 110) in which SGA had 38 points but came up short. Thunder evened the series at one game a piece (123 – 107). SGA’s 34 points helped get it done before heading to Indianapolis for the next two games.
Pacers took game three (116 – 107) at home with a big push from Haliburton- 22 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists. In game 4, the Thunder picked up a big win (111 – 104) on the road which evened the series heading back to Oklahoma. SGA had 35 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals.
In game 5, Pacer’s Tyreese Haliburton got injured early with a right calf sprain, but fought through it to finish the game. However, the Thunder’s Jalen Williams scored 40 to put them one win away from the Championship (120 – 109).
Haliburton had this to say before game 6, “I’m a competitor. I want to play. I’m going to do everything in my power to play.” Pacers, back at home, had a must win situation. Haliburton, still dealing with the calf sprain, was going to play, but at what cost. Pacers got a big team win (108 – 91). Haliburton was able to rest later in the game to help his recovery for game 7.
One last game, back in Oklahoma, Tyreese Haliburton started off hot with 9 points in 7 minuets of action until Haliburton went to drive past his defender and his achilles tendon popped. After Tyreese went down, the Pacers held their own until halftime, leading 48 -47. After halftime, the Thunder picked up their defense and the Pacers didn’t have a response. In the end, the Thunder would capture their first ever NBA Championship and put their name in the history books forever.
The Finals M.V.P. was award to SGA who averaged 30.3 PPG, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds. The Thunder’s tremendous defense throughout the playoffs was a big reasons for the championship. It caps off a historic season for SGA who joins an exclusive list of players (Shaquille O’ Neal, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) who have won an NBA championship, League M.V.P., and scoring title in a single season.
The OKC Thunder were the youngest NBA team this year with an average age of 25.6. With them winning the NBA Finals this year they become the second youngest team to win. It wasn’t an easy road for the Thunder to get there. They had to knock out many talented NBA players along the way, including Ja Morant, defending 2024 NBA champs the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic, and Anthony Edwards with the Timberwolves. Along with the final task of taking down a red hot Tyreese Haliburton.
