The Oklahoma City Thunder have secured the 2025 NBA championship with a 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 on June 23. This marks the Thunder’s first NBA title since their 2008 relocation from Seattle, where they had previously won as the SuperSonics in 1979.
The game took a heartbreaking turn early when Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury in the first quarter. ESPN confirmed the severity of the injury, and Haliburton was carried off the court, visibly emotional. John Hollinger, senior NBA writer, described the scene as “heartbreaking stuff seeing Tyrese Haliburton on crutches in the hall outside the locker room dapping up everyone as they walk past.”
Indiana, despite the loss of their leader, led by one point at halftime but were outmatched in the second half. Oklahoma City outscored the Pacers 56-43, with defense proving to be the decisive factor.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 29 points and 12 assists, living up to his MVP status. Michael Charles reported, “The Oklahoma City Thunder are your 2025 NBA champions! Indiana pushed them to their limit in this series, including down the stretch of Game 7, but ultimately OKC’s defense was the biggest X factor.”
The Pacers’ valiant effort was widely praised. Bucks writer Eric Nehm said, “To the Pacers’ credit, though, they never stopped giving a full effort. True to their form the entire postseason, they fought until the very end.”
