Oklahoma City Thunder Crowned NBA Champions After GM 7 Win

The fans inside Paycom Center spent the first two-plus quarters waiting for their Oklahoma City Thunder to finally create some separation from the Indiana Pacers.

It didn't matter that Tyrese Haliburton exited with an Achilles injury in the first quarter. It didn't matter that Oklahoma City had dominated the first three games in this building. It didn't even matter that the league's Most Valuable Player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, was living up to the award's billing.

No, when Myles Turner tied Sunday's Game 7 at 56-56 with 8:32 remaining in the third quarter, it felt like the 2025 title was up for grabs. But then Gilgeous-Alexander -- with a little bit of help from co-stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren -- ensured the Thunder would, in their 17th season in the Sooner State, capture their first championship.

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First, it was an SGA 3-pointer at the top of the key. Then, after he drove into the paint, he kicked it out to Holmgren on the wing for another. He then made an incredible move to get to the cup, flinging the ball out to Williams on the wing for yet another triple, pushing Oklahoma City's lead to nine and forcing Pacers coach Rick Carlisle to call a timeout.

The damage didn't stop there. Including those 3s, Gilgeous-Alexander ended up scoring or assisting on 14 consecutive points as part of a sensational 29-point, 12-assist game en route to not only winning his first title but claiming his first Finals MVP award.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault made an inspired decision to replace Isaiah Hartenstein with Alex Caruso to begin the second half, and Caruso -- like he did in Game 4 -- was everywhere for Oklahoma City on his way to 10 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals in 32 minutes.

In so many ways, this was a vintage Thunder performance. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way. Oklahoma City caused a ton of turnovers, forcing 23 and converting them into 32 points. And, like they did so many times during their 68-win season, the Thunder broke open a close game with a third-quarter burst.

But it was that initial trio of triples -- one by each of OKC's stars -- that began the eventual game-sealing push. On the day the founding member of Oklahoma City's original big three, Kevin Durant, was traded to the Houston Rockets, it was the team's new foundational player, Gilgeous-Alexander, who finally carried the Thunder to the top.