MANILA, Philippines – The Oklahoma City Thunder are the 2024–2025 NBA champions, outlasting the Indiana Pacers in a hard-fought Game 7. With clutch execution and steady composure down the stretch, OKC secured the title on their home floor, capping off a memorable Finals series on Monday, June 23, 2025 (Manila time).
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| History has been made! The Oklahoma City Thunder are the 2024–2025 NBA Champions! Photo courtesy: X/NBA |
Tied at 3 to 3 and facing a do-or-die Game 7, the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder are expected to leave it all on the floor from the opening tip to the final horn of the 2024 to 2025 season.
Indiana opened the game strong with early buckets from Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard, building a slight lead behind confident ball movement and good perimeter looks.
Haliburton knocked down back-to-back triples to energize Indiana’s offense, while Siakam asserted himself in the paint with a mix of drives and mid-range jumpers, helping the Pacers build an early edge.
OKC weathered the storm and slowly chipped away, with Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren combining for key baskets late in the quarter.
The Thunder closed strong, and a pair of free throws from Holmgren helped them end the opening frame on top, 25–22.
Though trailing by just a field goal, the Pacers entered the second quarter without Haliburton, who reportedly suffered a possible achilles injury midway through the opening period.
Known for their turnover struggles throughout the series, Indiana began committing unforced errors that gave OKC extra possessions and allowed them to gradually build a lead.
Despite missing their ace, the Pacers fought to keep the game close by relentlessly attacking OKC’s interior defense, led by the smallest man on the floor, TJ McConnell.
Oklahoma may have held the edge in both home court and manpower, but their struggles from beyond the arc kept them from pulling away the way they had in previous games.
Indiana’s persistence on both ends of the floor paid off as they grabbed a 48–47 lead over OKC with just three seconds remaining in the first half.
John Haliburton, father of Tyrese Haliburton, confirmed that his son has suffered a torn Achilles and will be out for the remainder of the game.
The Thunder opened the second half with renewed energy, led by Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso. OKC also found their range from beyond the arc, giving them a much-needed offensive boost.
Oklahoma’s three-point shooting was nearly flawless in the third quarter, fueling their surge and giving them their first double-digit lead of the game.
Meanwhile, Indiana continued to cough up turnovers, and the players could only watch as their deficit steadily grew.
While the Pacers starters struggled to find their rhythm in the third, McConnell once again stepped up and single-handedly trimmed the scoring gap.
McConnell’s solo effort wasn’t enough to spark a full Indiana comeback. Despite his 12-point burst in the third quarter, OKC held firm and entered the final period with a 81–68 lead.
The final period had just begun when the Pacers began to lose grip, as the Thunder quickly stretched their lead to over 20 points, dimming Indiana’s hopes of a comeback.
Siakam ended Indiana’s long scoring drought with a jumper at the seven-minute mark, finally putting points on the board in the fourth quarter and giving the Pacers a much-needed spark.
The Pacers made a solid run, cutting the deficit from 22 to 12 in the final quarter. But OKC tightened its defense midway through to shut down any chance of a comeback.
With two minutes left, Indiana was still knocking on OKC’s door until Aaron Nesmith, one of the Pacers’ key players this series, fouled out.
Indiana fought with everything they had and hoped for a miracle, but the absence of their star player proved too much to overcome.
As the final buzzer sounded, the Pacers conceded both the game and the championship to Oklahoma City, falling 103–91 in Game 7.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the 2025 NBA Finals MVP! pic.twitter.com/odn5kESjkA
— NBA (@NBA) June 23, 2025
For the first time in franchise history, the Oklahoma City Thunder have risen to the top, proving to be the best team from start to finish and claiming the 2025 NBA Championship.
— Joey Boy Capos, The Summit Express