Oklahoma City Thunder crowned NBA champions after 14 years!

Oklahoma City Thunder crowned NBA champions after 14 years!

On June 23, 2025, the Oklahoma City Thunder will celebrate their first NBA championship title since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008 after defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in the decisive seventh game. This victory marks a historic achievement as Isaiah Hartenstein becomes only the second German professional basketball player to become a champion after Dirk Nowitzki. Previously, Nowitzki secured his title 14 years earlier.

In an exciting game that captivated the spectators until the last second, the Thunder managed to overcome the halftime deficit of 47:48 in the third quarter. Oklahoma City embarked on an impressive 19-2 streak that gave them a 22-point lead and led them to a comfortable victory in the end. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the game's best scorer with 29 points, also proved to be a crucial playmaker with 12 assists. He was named both Finals Series MVP and regular season MVP, a feat most recently achieved by LeBron James in 2013.

Key players and accidents

Unfortunately, Tyrese Haliburton of the Pacers had to leave the field with an injury five minutes before the end of the first quarter. He sustained an Achilles tendon injury, causing a serious silence in the arena. Despite this setback, Haliburton was the Pacers' top scorer with 24 points. Their team led at halftime, but could not maintain control in the third quarter and suffered several turnovers.

The Thunder had a remarkable record of 68 regular-season wins and 16-7 in the playoffs this season. The team's success is also attributed to Hartenstein, who was signed by the Thunder to a three-year, $87 million contract. Hartenstein, who previously played for the New York Knicks, has proven to be a key player in winning the title.

Historical achievement

This championship is particularly significant for the Thunder as they previously won the title as the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979. It is the 20th time in NBA history that a finals series has had to be decided over seven games, with the last comparable situation taking place in 2016. The Thunder are also the first team since 1988 to score over 100 points in a Finals Game 7.

The Pacers, on the other hand, still have to wait for their first championship title. Their chances were massively hampered by Haliburton's injury and they started the series as underdogs. Still, they finished with a solid performance, even if they weren't able to challenge the Thunder in crucial moments.

With this triumph, the Oklahoma City Thunder have written an exciting chapter in the annals of the NBA not only for themselves, but also for the basketball community. The return of a German player to the top spots in the league could also herald a new era in European basketball.