Sports

Oklahoma City Thunder Win 2025 NBA Championship

JUN 23 2025·Updated JUN 24 2025

Story

Above: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder is awarded the Bill Russell 2025 Finals MVP on June 22, 2025. Image credit: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

The Facts

The Oklahoma City Thunder were crowned NBA champions after defeating the Indiana Pacers by 103-91 in game 7 on Sunday.
ESPN.com
NBC
This marks the Thunder's first championship since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008. The franchise last won the NBA title in 1979 as the Seattle Supersonics.
Daily Mail
NPR Online News
This year's batch of players was led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who won the regular season's scoring title and Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. He was also crowned the Finals MVP, making him the only player alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O'Neal to achieve all three accolades in a single season.
WTOP News
CBS News
He scored 29 points with 12 assists and five rebounds in Sunday's performance but was backed up by teammates Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace, who all ended the game with double-digit scoring.
NPR Online News
93.5 / 107.5 The Fan
USA Today
The Indiana Pacers were forced to contend for the title without their star player, Tyrese Haliburton, after he went down with a suspected Achilles injury with 4:55 left in the first quarter. He had been suffering from a calf strain from two games prior.
Bleacher Report
FOX News
Despite this, the Indian Pacers went into the half leading 48-47 before the Thunder outperformed them. Their leading performer was Bennedict Mathurin, who had 24 points and 13 rebounds.
ap
NPR Online News
93.5 / 107.5 The Fan

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

After relocating to Oklahoma City 18 years ago, winning the NBA Championship over more established franchises seemed more than an improbable feat for the Thunder, but with a talented young side, this victory could mark a new beginning of dominance.

NBA

Forbes

Narrative B

This is the seventh different champion in seven straight years of NBA action, indicating that the era of dominant dynasties is over and that competition is more evenly matched than ever.

NPR Online News