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| Dates | June 5–22 | |||||||||
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| MVP | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) | |||||||||
| Eastern finals | Pacers defeatedKnicks, 4–2 | |||||||||
| Western finals | Thunder defeatedTimberwolves, 4–1 | |||||||||
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The2025 NBA Finals was thechampionship series of theNational Basketball Association's (NBA)2024–25 season and conclusion tothe season's playoffs. Thebest-of-seven series ended with theWestern Conference championOklahoma City Thunder defeating theEastern Conference championIndiana Pacers in seven games. The Thunder'sShai Gilgeous-Alexander was voted theNBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). The series began on June 5 and ended on June 22 with the first NBA Finals Game 7 since2016.[1]
With a league-best regular season record of 68–14, the Thunder heldhome-court advantage in the Finals. They came into the series as heavy favorites against the 50–32 Pacers.[2] The Pacers set an NBA postseason record with five 15-point comebacks.[3] One such rally was in Game 1 of the Finals, whenTyrese Haliburton made a game-winning two-point jumpshot. The two teams would end up with three wins each, requiring a decisiveGame 7, in which Haliburton tore his rightAchilles tendon in the first quarter.[4] The Thunder's victory secured their second championship in franchise history, after their1979 title as theSeattle SuperSonics, and their first since their2008 move to Oklahoma City.
The 2025 Finals crowned the NBA's seventh unique champion in seven years, the longest stretch in league history.[5] The 2025 Finals was also the first since2006 in which both cities were seeking their first NBA championship.[a][7]
This was the first playoff match-up between Oklahoma City and Indiana. Oklahoma City won both of its regular season games against Indiana.[8] The Thunder had not lost a game at home to an Eastern Conference team since losing to the Pacers on March 12, 2024.[9] Both teams were in the Finals after missing the playoffs two seasons prior.[10] This was the smallest NBA Finals in terms of total market size, with the previous lowest mark belonging toCleveland andSan Antonio in2007.[11] The total television market size comprises fewer than two million households with Indianapolis being the 22nd largest and Oklahoma City being the 26th largest out of 28 markets league-wide.[12] The 2025 Finals also set another milestone; it was the first Finals without a luxury tax team since thesalary cap era began in 2002.[13]
Coincidentally, both teams traded former star playerPaul George in trades that yielded their current best players,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander andTyrese Haliburton to the Thunder and the Pacers, respectively.[14][15][16] On the eve of free agency in 2017, the Pacers traded George to the Thunder forVictor Oladipo andDomantas Sabonis.[17] Sabonis, along with other players, was dealt to theSacramento Kings for Haliburton and other pieces before the 2022 trade deadline.[18] For Oklahoma City, George starred for the team, finishing third inNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) andDefensive Player of the Year voting in2018–19. However, the team fell in the first round in both of his seasons with the club. On July 10, 2019, the Thunder traded George to theLos Angeles Clippers for Gilgeous-Alexander,Danilo Gallinari, five first-round draft picks, and the rights to swap two other first-round picks (with one of these picks used to selectJalen Williams).[19]
The Thunder entered the NBA Finals as the second-largest betting favorite over the past 20 years, with only the2018 Golden State Warriors having shorter pre-Finals odds since 2005.[20] The 18 game difference in wins between the two teams was the largest among NBA Finals participants since the1981 Finals between the 62-winCeltics and 40-winRockets.[21]
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From October through December, Indiana was a .500 team or worse, hitting a low point after a loss toCharlotte on December 8 to put their record at 10–15.[22][23] At the heart of the team's early season struggles was star point guardTyrese Haliburton, who stated he was experiencing personal struggles.[24] They did not get going until January, when they posted a 10–2 record. The Pacers went 20–9 from theAll-Star break until the end of the season.[25] During the turnaround, Haliburton found his rhythm and his stats improved greatly; the team got healthier (starters Haliburton,Andrew Nembhard, andAaron Nesmith all had injuries at the beginning of the year); and their defense improved dramatically, ranking ninth in defensive efficiency after early December.[26] Steady veteran forwardPascal Siakam earned his third career All-Star Game appearance, while Haliburton earned his second straightAll-NBA third-team honor.[27][28] The Pacers' offensive rating ranked second in the league, and they led the league in assist percentage andtrue shooting percentage as a team.[29] Another strength for the team was their depth, as no Pacers player averaged more than 33.6 minutes per game during the regular season.[30]
The team finished with a record of 50–32, marking the first 50-win season for Indiana since2014 and earning the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. In theFirst Round, the Pacers met theMilwaukee Bucks, a rematch fromthe previous year's first round. They won the series in five games, highlighted by a 7-point, 40-second comeback in overtime in Game 5.[31] They then upset the 64-win, top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in theEastern Conference Semifinals in five games, which was again highlighted by an unlikely comeback when they won Game 2 on a Haliburton game-winning three after being down 7 points with 46 seconds left.[32] The Pacers' third improbable comeback occurred against theNew York Knicks in Game 1 of theEastern Conference Finals: down 14 with 2:45 left, the Pacers were able to win the game in overtime. Indiana was the first team in the play-by-play era (1996–97–present) to win a game where they were trailing by 14 points or more with 2:45 left in the game.[33][34] In their second straight conference finals, they finished off the Knicks in six games. Since that 10–15 start, Indiana had a 52–21 record, going into the Finals.[35]
This was the Pacers' second NBA Finals appearance. Their only previous appearance came in2000, which they lost to theLos Angeles Lakers.[36] The Pacers won threeABA championships, but the NBA does not incorporate ABA statistics into its official records. Pacers coachRick Carlisle, who was a lead assistant to then-head coachLarry Bird on the2000 Finals team, sought his second championship as head coach and third overall. Carlisle previously won a ring as a player on the1986 Celtics and as a head coach on the2011 Mavericks.[37] Siakam returned to the NBA Finals for the second time after winning a championship in2019 with theToronto Raptors.[38] The only other players on the roster with Finals experience were Aaron Nesmith and December trade acquisitionThomas Bryant; Nesmith played a small role on the2022 Celtics and Bryant won a championship with the2023 Nuggets.[39]
In the 2024–25 season, Oklahoma City had its best season in franchise history, finishing 68–14 to secure the top seed in theWestern Conference for a second straight year.[40] They did so in dominant fashion, outscoring opponents by 12.9 points per game during the regular season, which was more than half a point better than the previous record set by the1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers when Los Angeles outscored opponents by 12.3 points per game.[41] They were led by the regular seasonMVPShai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the league with 32.7 points per game while also averaging 6.4 assists and five rebounds.[42] Third-year playerJalen Williams continued his ascension as one of the best forwards in the league, improving on every major statistical category from last season, becoming anAll-Star for the first time, and making the third teamAll-NBA.[43][44] After losing to theDallas Mavericks in theWestern Conference semifinals last playoffs, the team acquired veteran depth piecesIsaiah Hartenstein (via free agency) andAlex Caruso (via trade). Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Hartenstein, Caruso, second-year centerChet Holmgren, and guardLuguentz Dort formed a stalwart defensive unit as OKC led the league in most defensive categories;[45][46][47] Dort was also rewarded with anAll-Defensive first team honor, while Williams was voted to the All-Defensive second team.[48] Rounding out the roster were sharpshootersAaron Wiggins andIsaiah Joe; second-year player guardCason Wallace, another great defensive player; and reserve big manJaylin Williams, who filled in for Holmgren during his two-month long hip injury. For putting this roster together, Thunder executive vice president and general managerSam Presti was named the 2024–25NBA Executive of the Year.[49] Head coachMark Daigneault, who was namedCoach of the Year the previous season, came in fourth for the award this season.[50] OKC finished 16 games better than theHouston Rockets, the second-best team in the Western Conference. This margin between a first and second seed was the largest in NBA history.[51]
In the playoffs, the Thunder dispatched theMemphis Grizzlies in a four-game sweep in thefirst round. In the second round, they defeated the veteranDenver Nuggets inseven games, with a blowout home win in the decisiveseventh game. They won theWestern Conference finals handily against theMinnesota Timberwolves in five games. The Thunder entered the Finals 8–1 at home, with their only defeat coming on anAaron Gordon game-winning three in the final seconds of Game 1 of the second round against Denver.[52]
This was the franchise's fifth NBA Finals appearance overall and second since the team's relocation to Oklahoma City. Their last appearance came in2012, when they lost to theMiami Heat.[53] The franchise also made three Finals appearances as theSeattle SuperSonics, winning one title in1979. Caruso was the only player or coach on the roster with Finals experience, as he won a championship with theLos Angeles Lakers.[54] The Thunder became the youngest team to make the NBA Finals since the1977 Portland Trail Blazers.[55]
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Notes
| Indiana Pacers (Eastern Conference champion) | Oklahoma City Thunder (Western Conference champion) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Defeated the 5th-seededMilwaukee Bucks,4–1 | First round | Defeated the 8th-seededMemphis Grizzlies,4–0 | |
| Defeated the 1st-seededCleveland Cavaliers,4–1 | Conference semifinals | Defeated the 4th-seededDenver Nuggets,4–3 | |
| Defeated the 3rd-seededNew York Knicks,4–2 | Conference finals | Defeated the 6th-seededMinnesota Timberwolves,4–1 | |
The Thunder won the regular season series 2–0.
| Game | Date | Road team | Result | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | June 5 | Indiana Pacers | 111–110 (1–0) | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Game 2 | June 8 | Indiana Pacers | 107–123 (1–1) | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Game 3 | June 11 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 107–116 (1–2) | Indiana Pacers |
| Game 4 | June 13 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 111–104 (2–2) | Indiana Pacers |
| Game 5 | June 16 | Indiana Pacers | 109–120 (2–3) | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Game 6 | June 19 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 91–108 (3–3) | Indiana Pacers |
| Game 7 | June 22 | Indiana Pacers | 91–103 (3–4) | Oklahoma City Thunder |
June 5 8:30 p.m.(7:30 pmCDT) |
| Indiana Pacers111,Oklahoma City Thunder 110 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–29, 25–28,31–28,35–25 | ||
| Pts:Pascal Siakam 19 Rebs:Aaron Nesmith 12 Asts:Haliburton,Nembhard 6 each | Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 38 Rebs:Isaiah Hartenstein 9 Asts:Jalen Williams 6 | |
| Indiana leads series, 1–0 | ||
Paycom Center,Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Attendance: 18,203 Referees:
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The Thunder jumped out to an early lead and forced a record 19 Indiana turnovers in the first half, taking a 57–45 advantage into halftime.[56] In the fourth quarter, the Pacers trimmed an initial 15-point deficit with 9:42 left into a one-possession game with under two minutes left.[57] After a coach's challenge byRick Carlisle on aPascal Siakam out-of-bounds call was ruled unsuccessful with 22 seconds remaining, the Thunder were up 110–109, butShai Gilgeous-Alexander's midrange jumper missed, and Indiana gained possession. Carlisle opted not to call a timeout to give the Thunder a chance to set their defense, allowing the Pacers to push in transition.Tyrese Haliburton, who had already made clutch shots this postseason against Milwaukee, Cleveland, and New York, nailed a 21-foot pull-up jump shot overCason Wallace to put Indiana up 111–110 with 0.3 seconds left, marking their first lead of the entire game. The Thunder's final lob attempt failed, giving the Pacers another improbable come-from-behind playoff victory.[58]
Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 38 points, marking the third-most points in a Finals debut behindAllen Iverson andGeorge Mikan.[59]Jalen Williams andLuguentz Dort combined for 32 points for the Thunder, whileChet Holmgren struggled with just six points on 2-of–9 shooting from the field. Siakam led the scoring for the Pacers with 19 points and 10 rebounds. All five Indiana starters finished in double figures, withAaron Nesmith and Haliburton tallying double-doubles, andObi Toppin adding 17 points in a productive night off the bench. This was just the Thunder's second home loss of the entire playoffs, the last coming in a 121–119 loss in Game 1 of the conference semifinals against theDenver Nuggets.[59] According to ESPN analytics, the Thunder held a 96.4% win probability with a nine-point lead and 2:52 remaining. This game marked the Pacers' fourth comeback this postseason in which their opponent had at least a 95% chance of winning with under three minutes left; each game included a game-tying or go-ahead basket by Haliburton.[60]
Haliburton's go-ahead shot with 0.3 seconds left marked the latest game winner in an NBA Finals game sinceMichael Jordan's buzzer-beating shot in Game 1 of the1997 Finals.[61] The Pacers in Game 1 joined the1999 Spurs in Game 2 of theWestern Conference Finals and the2002 Lakers in Game 4 of theWestern Conference Finals as teams to win a playoff game despite leading for only 20 seconds or less.[62] Indiana also tied the1992 Chicago Bulls inGame 6 and the2011 Dallas Mavericks inGame 2 — the latter also coached by Carlisle — for the largest NBA Finals fourth-quarter comeback.[63] For Oklahoma City, this was their first home loss to an Eastern Conference team since March 12, 2024, when they lost to, coincidentally, the Pacers.[64] After the game, Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said, "It's a 48 minute game, and [the Pacers] teach you that lesson more than anyone else in the league the hard way."[65][66]
June 8 8:00 pm(7:00 pmCDT) |
| Indiana Pacers 107,Oklahoma City Thunder123 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–26, 21–33, 33–34,33–30 | ||
| Pts:Tyrese Haliburton 17 Rebs:Pascal Siakam 7 Asts: Haliburton,McConnell 6 each | Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 34 Rebs:Isaiah Hartenstein 8 Asts: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 8 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
Paycom Center,Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Attendance: 18,203 Referees:
|
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The Thunder bounced back from their Game 1 defeat by defeating the Pacers 123–107 to tie the series at 1–1, winning their first Finals game since their Game 1 win in2012 against the eventual championMiami Heat.[68] The Thunder started off with a six-point lead over the Pacers in the opening quarter.[69] In the second quarter, the Thunder capitalised on a 19–2 run, jumping out to a 23-point lead before finishing with an 18-point lead at halftime. For the rest of the game, Indiana was unable to cut the lead back down to single digits.[68]Tyrese Haliburton attempted to spark the Pacers in the beginning of the fourth quarter, but a Thunder response left Indiana unable to bring the deficit under 19 points for the first six minutes before they ceded defeat.[69]
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander followed up his 38-point Finals debut by leading all Thunder scorers with 34 points (in addition to eight assists and five rebounds), totaling 72 points across two games. He surpassedAllen Iverson (71 points, 2001) for the most combined points scored in a player's first two Finals games. Gilgeous-Alexander became the 12th player to score a combined 3,000 points in the regular season and playoffs. This also marked his ninth consecutive home playoff game with at least 30 points, tying an NBA record previously set byWilt Chamberlain.[70] For the rest of Oklahoma City, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren came back from poor offensive performances in Game 1 with 19 and 15 points respectively.[69] The Thunder became the first team to have five or more 15+ point scorers in a Finals game since the2019 Toronto Raptors.[71] Haliburton led the Pacers with 17 points, whileMyles Turner andPascal Siakam added 16 and 15, respectively. For the second straight game, none of the Pacers reached 20 points; they became the first team since the2013 Miami Heat to have no players score 20 points in two straight Finals games.[68]
June 11 8:30 pm |
| Oklahoma City Thunder 107,Indiana Pacers116 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:32–24, 28–40,29–20, 18–32 | ||
| Pts:Jalen Williams 26 Rebs:Chet Holmgren 10 Asts:Caruso,Gilgeous-Alexander 4 each | Pts:Bennedict Mathurin 27 Rebs:Tyrese Haliburton 9 Asts: Tyrese Haliburton 11 | |
| Indiana leads series, 2–1 | ||
Gainbridge Fieldhouse,Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 17,274 Referees:
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In a tightly contested game in which neither team led by double-digits, the Pacers surged in the fourth quarter to reclaim the series lead. The Thunder opened out to an early nine-point lead behind hot starts from Holmgren and Dort, who combined for 22 of the team's 32 points in the first quarter.[72] However, Indiana's bench shifted the momentum in the second quarter.Bennedict Mathurin scored 14 points in the frame, whileT. J. McConnell energized the team with four assists and three steals during the period.[73] The game remained close, and a 6–0 Thunder run in the final minute of the third quarter gave Oklahoma City a five-point edge entering the fourth. From there, the Pacers took control. Indiana shot 13-of-21 from the field in the final period, while limiting the Thunder to just 35% shooting and forcing five turnovers.[74] With the score tied at 98 and under seven minutes to play,Tyrese Haliburton scored or assisted on 10 of the Pacers' 14 points during a decisive 14–6 run that gave them an eight-point lead with 1:09 remaining—a lead they would not relinquish.[75]
Mathurin finished with a game-high 27 points on 9-of-12 shooting in 22 minutes off the bench, marking the most points by a reserve in the NBA Finals sinceJason Terry scored 27 in2011. Mathurin was supported by McConnell (five steals, five assists) andObi Toppin (six rebounds, two blocks), helping Indiana dominate Oklahoma City 49–18 in bench points.[76] Haliburton nearly recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds, whilePascal Siakam added 21 points, giving the Pacers three 20-point scorers in the game after having none in the first two games.Jalen Williams led the Thunder with 26 points on 50% shooting.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 24 points but struggled with turnovers, posting four assists against six turnovers, marking his first game of the postseason with a negative assist-to-turnover ratio. Holmgren added 20 points, going 6-of-9 inside the arc but missing all six of his three-point attempts.[77]
The Pacers won their tenth straight game following a loss, dating back to March 15. The Thunder, who went 61–2 when leading going into the fourth quarter in the regular season, fell to 1–2 in such situations in the Finals.[78]
June 13 8:30 pm |
| Oklahoma City Thunder111,Indiana Pacers 104 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 34–35, 23–25, 23–27,31–17 | ||
| Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 35 Rebs:Chet Holmgren 15 Asts:Williams,Hartenstein 3 each | Pts:Pascal Siakam 20 Rebs:Aaron Nesmith 9 Asts:Tyrese Haliburton 7 | |
| Series tied, 2–2 | ||
Gainbridge Fieldhouse,Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 17,274 Referees:
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Much like their second round series against theDenver Nuggets, the Thunder won a crucial Game 4 to avoid a 3–1 deficit. The Thunder rallied in the 4th quarter after being down by 10 points.[79] With the win, the Thunder evened the series at 2–2. The Thunder moved to 18–2 after a defeat in both the regular season and playoffs, tying the1986–87 Lakers for the best winning percentage in NBA history after a loss in a season.[80]
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered, scoring 15 of his 35 points in the final 4:38, capping Oklahoma City's rally from a 10-point, second-half deficit.Jalen Williams added 27,Alex Caruso had 20 andChet Holmgren finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Down the stretch in the fourth quarter, Holmgren's defense proved vital againstTyrese Haliburton.[81] The Thunder won the game despite a season-low three 3-pointers and no assists from Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time all season.[82]
The Pacers, who had a 10-point lead deep into the third quarter,[83] were unable to pull away.Pascal Siakam scored 20 for Indiana, but only took one shot in the fourth quarter. Haliburton had 18 points and 7 assists, whileObi Toppin continued his stellar play off the bench with 17 points.[84] The Pacers had chances at the end of the game, butBennedict Mathurin missed 3-of-4 free throws and committed two away from the play fouls in the last 23.1 seconds.[85] Haliburton made Finals history for the most points scored in a 3-game span (53) without a free throw attempt, surpassingKobe Bryant's mark set in the2000 NBA Finals.[86]
June 16 8:30 pm(7:30 pmCDT) |
| Indiana Pacers 109,Oklahoma City Thunder120 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–32, 23–27,34–28, 30–33 | ||
| Pts:Pascal Siakam 28 Rebs:Bennedict Mathurin 8 Asts:Tyrese Haliburton 6 | Pts:Jalen Williams 40 Rebs:Chet Holmgren 11 Asts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 10 | |
| Oklahoma City leads series, 3–2 | ||
Paycom Center,Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Attendance: 18,203 Referees:
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Oklahoma City halted an Indiana fourth-quarter comeback attempt to take a 3–2 lead.[87]Jalen Williams scored a career playoff-high 40 points andShai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 in the Thunder's 120–109 win. It was the 10th time the Thunder star duo combined for more than 70 points in a game. Williams was 14-of-24 from the field, while Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 assists after having none in game 4. The pair combined to score or assist on 103 points, the most by a duo in an NBA Finals game in the past 50 years, according to ESPN Research.[88] Through five games, Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams had 291 combined points, the fourth-most by a duo through the first five games of an NBA Finals since theNBA-ABA merger in 1977.[89] Off the bench,Aaron Wiggins added 14 points andCason Wallace, who was benched forIsaiah Hartenstein in Game 4, had 4 steals and scored 11 points;Alex Caruso also had 4 steals for an Oklahoma City defense that forced 22 Pacers' turnovers. After a rough game shooting the ball from three in Game 4, Williams (3-of-5),Luguentz Dort (3-of-6), Wiggins (4-of-7), and Wallace (3-of-4) led the 3-point shooting for OKC, who shot 43.8% from beyond the arc as a team.[90]
Similar to their previous two games in Oklahoma City, the Pacers got off to a rough start.Tyrese Haliburton strained his right calf in the first quarter and was not the same the rest of the game, not making a field goal and only scoring four points.[91][92] Down by as many as 18 late in the second quarter, the Pacers got within five late in the third quarter. With Haliburton hampered, back-up point guardT. J. McConnell led the rally, scoring 13 points in just under seven minutes.[93] The Pacers took that momentum over to the fourth quarter, asPascal Siakam made a pair of free throws with 9:19 left to get Indiana within four and then made a 3-pointer a minute later to cut the score to 95–93. However, this would be the closest Indiana got as OKC ratcheted up the pressure, outscoring Indiana 21–8 over the next five minutes.[94] Siakam finished with 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting, and McConnell scored 18 points overall. This was the first timethis postseason that the Pacers trailed in a playoff series.[95]
June 19 8:30 pm |
| Oklahoma City Thunder 91,Indiana Pacers108 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–28, 17–36, 18–26,31–18 | ||
| Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 21 Rebs:Chet Holmgren 6 Asts:Ajay Mitchell 4 | Pts:Obi Toppin 20 Rebs:Pascal Siakam 13 Asts:T. J. McConnell 6 | |
| Series tied, 3–3 | ||
Gainbridge Fieldhouse,Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 17,274 Referees:
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A balanced Pacers effort on both sides of the ball helped extend the series and force aGame 7 in the NBA Finals for the first time since2016. The Thunder picked up where they left off in Game 5 with an early 10–2 run to start the game. The Pacers quickly responded with a 24–7 run, highlighted byAndrew Nembhard andObi Toppin scoring 16 of the 24 points and Indiana's defense forcing four turnovers.[96] The first quarter ended with the Pacers leading 28–25, the lowest scoring output in the first quarter of the series for the Thunder.[97] With 5:22 left in the second quarter, Indiana held their largest lead of the Finals when the score was 45–33 after anAaron Nesmith 3-pointer.[98] The Pacers stretched that to 51–35, completing a 17–2 run over a span of 5:13 from a score of 34–33.[99] The quarter ended with aPascal Siakam mid-range buzzer beater overAlex Caruso; 40 seconds earlier, Siakam also had aposter dunk onJalen Williams, off a no-look feed fromTyrese Haliburton.[100] At halftime, Indiana held a commanding 64–42 lead. For Oklahoma City, Williams andShai Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 of the Thunder's 42 points.[101]
Oklahoma City had a chance to get back into the game at the start of the third quarter, as the Pacers missed their first seven shots of the quarter. However, the Thunder also started the quarter cold, also missing their first seven shots, and there were no points scored in the first 3:53 of play.[102] Indiana ended the third the same way they ended the second, with a buzzer beater, this time fromBen Sheppard, which put the score at 90–60. With a big lead, the Pacers were able to rest Haliburton's calf injury for most of the second half.Obi Toppin led the Pacers in scoring with 20 points off the bench. Five other Pacers scored in double figures. As a team, they forced 21 turnovers, including 8 by Gilgeous-Alexander, a career-high for the league's MVP. Oklahoma City shot only 26.7% from beyond the arc, and at −40, Jalen Williams had the worst +/- in NBA Finals history for a single game.[103][104]
June 22 8:00 pm(7:00 pmCDT) |
| Indiana Pacers 91,Oklahoma City Thunder103 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–25,26–22, 20–34,23–22 | ||
| Pts:Bennedict Mathurin 24 Rebs: Bennedict Mathurin 13 Asts:Andrew Nembhard 6 | Pts:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 29 Rebs:Isaiah Hartenstein 9 Asts: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 12 | |
| Oklahoma City wins NBA Finals, 4–3 | ||
Paycom Center,Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Attendance: 18,203 Referees:
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This was the 20th Game 7 in NBA Finals history.[106] This was the first Game 7 of an NBA Finals in Pacers' franchise history, while the Thunder, then known as theSeattle SuperSonics, lost a Game 7 in the1978 NBA Finals at home to theWashington Bullets.[107]
With five minutes left in the first quarter,Tyrese Haliburton, already playing with a right calf strain, tore his right Achilles tendon on a non-contact drive to the basket.[91] The entire Pacers team left the bench to huddle around Haliburton, who got up and was helped off the court;[108] he was ruled out of the game a few minutes later.[109] Before the injury, Haliburton had made 3-of-4 three-pointers.[110] Despite Indiana losing who many felt was their best player, the Pacers still took a 48–47 lead to enter the half.[111]
However, the third quarter saw Oklahoma City break through; with three consecutive three pointers midway into the third quarter giving the Thunder a 65–56 lead.Chet Holmgren andJalen Williams, who both struggled in the first half, combined for 16 points in the quarter. A lone bright spot for Indiana in the third wasT. J. McConnell, who scored the last 12 points for the Pacers; however, they were down by 13 at the end of the quarter, 81–68. Indiana's poor play continued over into the fourth quarter, as they did not score a basket untilPascal Siakam made a mid-range jump shot with 7:29 left. The Pacers were able to cut the Oklahoma City lead to 10 in the quarter, but that was the smallest margin for the remainder of the game. The Thunder's three key players (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren) led Oklahoma City to a 103–91 Game 7 victory; Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points and 12 assists, Holmgren recorded 18 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks, and Williams scored 20 points.[112] With 103 points scored, the Thunder became the first team to score 100 points or more in a Finals Game 7 since theLos Angeles Lakers andDetroit Pistons did so in1988.[113][114]
Gilgeous-Alexander was voted theFinals MVP; he was the first player to win aregular season MVP and Finals MVP in the same season sinceLeBron James in2013. He also became the fourth player to win theleague scoring title along with regular season and Finals MVPs in one season, and the first sinceShaquille O'Neal in2000.[b][115]
This was the first championship for the state of Oklahoma in amajor professional sport.[116] The Thunder were also the second youngest team to win an NBA championship, behind the1977 Portland Trail Blazers.[117] By the end of the series, they also became the first team since the2015–16 Golden State Warriors to have a combined total of 84 or more wins in the regular season and playoffs.[118]
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| Head coach Assistant(s) Legend
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| Head coach Assistant(s) Legend
Roster |
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pascal Siakam | 7 | 7 | 33.4 | .454 | .357 | .787 | 7.7 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 19.3 |
| Tyrese Haliburton | 7 | 7 | 30.0 | .457 | .356 | 1.000 | 4.6 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 14.0 |
| Andrew Nembhard | 7 | 7 | 33.9 | .466 | .423 | .773 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 11.7 |
| Myles Turner | 7 | 7 | 27.1 | .377 | .214 | .759 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 10.6 |
| Aaron Nesmith | 7 | 7 | 27.0 | .386 | .472 | .714 | 5.9 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 9.4 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 7 | 0 | 20.6 | .421 | .333 | .780 | 5.1 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 12.4 |
| T. J. McConnell | 7 | 0 | 20.3 | .552 | .600 | .778 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 12.0 |
| Obi Toppin | 7 | 0 | 23.8 | .453 | .361 | .500 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 11.0 |
| Tony Bradley | 3 | 0 | 7.8 | .500 | — | .833 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| Ben Sheppard | 7 | 0 | 13.6 | .444 | .333 | — | 2.1 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 2.9 |
| Thomas Bryant | 6 | 0 | 5.4 | .500 | .400 | .500 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.7 |
| James Johnson | 2 | 0 | 2.4 | .500 | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| Johnny Furphy | 4 | 0 | 3.0 | 1.000 | — | .000 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 7 | 7 | 38.2 | .443 | .242 | .914 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 30.3 |
| Jalen Williams | 7 | 7 | 34.7 | .433 | .267 | .810 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 23.6 |
| Chet Holmgren | 7 | 7 | 30.3 | .395 | .158 | .852 | 8.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 12.3 |
| Luguentz Dort | 7 | 7 | 31.4 | .422 | .447 | .500 | 4.6 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 8.1 |
| Isaiah Hartenstein | 7 | 4 | 19.1 | .609 | — | .688 | 6.7 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 5.6 |
| Cason Wallace | 7 | 3 | 22.3 | .474 | .313 | .500 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 6.0 |
| Alex Caruso | 7 | 0 | 28.8 | .434 | .400 | .833 | 3.6 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 10.1 |
| Aaron Wiggins | 7 | 0 | 14.3 | .364 | .455 | .700 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 5.9 |
| Isaiah Joe | 5 | 0 | 8.2 | .615 | .556 | 1.000 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 4.8 |
| Jaylin Williams | 3 | 0 | 4.9 | .750 | .750 | .500 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| Dillon Jones | 3 | 0 | 3.3 | 1.000 | — | — | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
| Kenrich Williams | 7 | 0 | 7.9 | .300 | .167 | .000 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 |
| Ajay Mitchell | 4 | 0 | 4.9 | .143 | .000 | 1.000 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| Ousmane Dieng | 3 | 0 | 1.9 | .333 | .500 | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 |
The Finals was televised in the United States byABC (including local affiliatesKOCO-TV in Oklahoma City andWRTV in Indianapolis) for the 23rd consecutive year. AnalystRichard Jefferson joined play-by-play announcerMike Breen, co-analystDoris Burke, and sideline reporterLisa Salters afterJJ Redick left to become head coach of theLos Angeles Lakers.[121][122] Breen called his record-extending 20th NBA Finals series on television.[123] Salters was absent for Games 2–4 due to her mother's health issues, which was revealed by Breen during Game 2.[124]ESPN Radio reporterJorge Sedano filled in for her for the television coverage, while reporter Vanessa Richardson filled in for Sedano for the radio coverage of Games 2–4 before Salters returned for Game 5.[125] The series was broadcast on ESPN Radio with play-by-play announcerMarc Kestecher, analystP. J. Carlesimo, and Sedano.[122]
The NBA and ABC faced criticism from viewers and sportswriters over a perceived lack of emphasis on the "pageantry" and magnitude of the NBA Finals in its media coverage. This included ABC's coverage not showing player introductions, which had not been done since 2013. The national anthem played only in the later matchups, notably whenTony Award winning actressKristin Chenoweth performed. There was also a lack of branding on the court such as the NBA Finals logo orLarry O'Brien Trophy. This had not been done since 2014, when the NBA discontinued the decals due to player safety issues. This contrasted theNBA Cup in which dedicated court designs were used for each team. Sports media websiteAwful Announcing went as far as to criticize ABC's coverage as "auraless" for these and other reasons.[126][127][128] In an apparent response to the criticism, ESPN began to display images of the trophy and NBA Finals logo on the court viavirtual insertion beginning in Game 2 (which itself faced criticism from viewers for being a low-quality cop-out),[129] and showed player introductions during Game 5.[130]
Game 1 was the third least-watched NBA Finals Game 1 since 1988. Only the2020 and2021 Finals, which were both delayed by theCOVID-19 pandemic, had a lower-rated opener.[131] NBA commissionerAdam Silver defended the ratings prior to Game 3, stating, "People compare us to 20 years ago, but Games 1 and 2 are the highest-rated programs in May and June so far on television".[132] Game 7 averaged 16.35 million viewers and peaked with 19.28 million, marking the most watched NBA game since Game 6 of the2019 NBA Finals. Despite the strong finish, the series as a whole averaged just 10.27 million viewers, making it the least-watched Finals since 2021—and, excluding the COVID-delayed 2020 and 2021 editions, the lowest average since2007. Moreover, Game 7 was the least-watched of its kind in modern ratings annals.[133] Despite that, Game 7 was the most-ever internationally watched NBA Finals game onNBA League Pass, and each game of the Finals averaged 10 million viewers or more throughout the entire series.[134] The NBA also generated a record-breaking 5 billion views across all social media platforms during the Finals, up 215% from 2024.[135]
| Game | Ratings (American households) | American audience (in millions) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.7 | 8.91 | [136] |
| 2 | 4.5 | 8.76 | [137] |
| 3 | 4.8 | 9.19 | [138] |
| 4 | 4.6 | 9.41 | [139] |
| 5 | 4.9 | 9.54 | [140] |
| 6 | 4.8 | 9.28 | [141] |
| 7 | 7.6 | 16.35 | [142] |
| Avg | 5.6 | 10.27 | [143] |
A day after Game 7, it was revealed thatTyrese Haliburton tore hisAchilles tendon, making him likely to miss the entire2025–26 NBA season.[144] ESPN sportswriterBrian Windhorst said of the injury, "I'd hate to even say this, but he might have scored 40 points in this game. We'll never know, but he had nine points in seven minutes. The Thunder were looking a little shaky. It's possible he has a game that is an all-time classic."[145] In an unlucky coincidence, Haliburton was the third player to wear the number "0" and tear his Achilles tendon in the2025 NBA playoffs, followingDamian Lillard andJayson Tatum.[146]
The victory parade and championship celebration for the Thunder was held in downtown Oklahoma City on June 24, concluding outside of thePaycom Center.[147] According to the Oklahoma Voice, around 500,000 people attended the celebration.[148]
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See also:WNBA Finals | ||
