The Oklahoma City Thunder clinched the NBA championship against the Indiana Pacers, winning Game 7 with a score of 103-91. This marks the franchise’s first title since 1979 when they were known as the Seattle Supersonics.

The Thunder, with an average roster age of 25.6, are now the second-youngest team ever to win a championship, trailing only the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the regular season MVP, was pivotal in the victory, leading with 29 points and 12 assists. He also recorded five rebounds, a steal, and two blocks, becoming the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 to achieve both regular season MVP and Finals MVP in a single season.

Jalen Williams contributed 20 points, while Chet Holmgren added 18 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks.

The Thunder displayed a dominant performance in the third quarter, outscoring the Pacers 34-20, benefiting from the Pacers’ turnovers which resulted in 18 points for Oklahoma City. Although the Pacers managed to narrow the deficit to 10 points during the final minutes, they were ultimately unable to secure a comeback, especially missing their star player, Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered an injury in Game 5.

Despite the challenges, Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Teammates Pascal Siakam and T.J. McConnell each scored 16 points, while Andrew Nembhard added 15 points.

The Pacers made a commendable playoff run despite being the underdogs, defeating notable teams such as the fifth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, and the third-seeded New York Knicks to reach the Finals for the first time in 25 years.

This season, however, belonged to the Thunder, who not only had an extraordinary season but also carefully navigated through two Game 7 victories to claim the Larry O’Brien trophy. The victory in Game 7 of the Finals marks a remarkable achievement in NBA history.