The Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champions … for the first time in team history!!!
Thunder star and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way in a 103-91 victory for OKC, scoring 29 points in the decisive Game 7 … played in front of a raucous sell-out crowd at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
SGA was named Most Valuable Player of the Finals.
Jalen Williams was also a problem for the Pacers in the deciding game, scoring 20 points.
It was a tough night for Indiana — in addition to failing to secure its first-ever championship, the team lost Tyrese Haliburton to a devastating injury.
It happened in the first quarter of Sunday’s matchup, when the Pacers star — who had been nursing a calf issue — appeared to sustain a significant Achilles injury. It was heartbreaking to see, and even LeBron James took to his X page to express his disdain over the sight.
The Thunder entered the series as heavy favorites, but Indiana, behind Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, proved to be a tough foe, pushing OKC to the make-or-break Game 7.
The Thunder, who dominated the regular season with a 68-14 record, were tested at times throughout the playoffs. After breezing by the Grizzlies, the Denver Nuggets took OKC to seven games before ultimately getting dominated and sent home.
OKC then beat the Timberwolves in five games to advance to the Finals.
It’s the first chip for the Thunder, who moved from Seattle (they were the SuperSonics) in 2008.
