SGA’s double-double lifts Thunder to NBA title

The Oklahoma City Thunder completed their dream season with a hard-fought 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Sunday’s Game 7 to win the 2025 NBA Finals.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a strong all-around performance in the series finale, tallying 29 points, 12 assists, five boards, two blocks, and one steal to lead Oklahoma City to the championship.

Gilgeous-Alexander is the first player with at least 25 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds in Game 7 of the NBA Finals since Walt Frazier in 1970, according to Basketball Reference.

Gilgeous-Alexander was unanimously voted Finals MVP by an 11-member media panel.

“All the achievements and accolades, they don’t come close to the feeling of winning with your brothers,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters postgame, according to The Athletic’s Fred Katz.

Indiana put forth an admirable effort on the road but couldn’t overcome losing Tyrese Haliburton, who had to be carried off the court midway through the first quarter after sustaining an Achilles injury.

Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 24 points off the bench in a losing cause.

Indiana fought until the end against the 68-win Thunder, as it had done all postseason.

The Pacers took a slight 48-47 lead into halftime after a step-back triple from Andrew Nembhard.

Oklahoma City’s defense and 3-point shooting came alive in the third quarter, but Indiana stayed within striking distance thanks to T.J. McConnell. The scrappy reserve guard scored 13 of his 16 points in the frame, including 12 straight points for the Pacers.

However, the Thunder began the fourth quarter on a 9-0 scoring run to extend their lead to 22 points.

Indiana got within 10 points on two occasions with less than three minutes to go but couldn’t get any closer.

Oklahoma City’s top-ranked defense delivered in the biggest game of the season. The Thunder scored 32 points off 21 Pacers turnovers.

Luguentz Dort, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace had three steals each as their suffocating on-ball pressure forced several turnovers.

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