By Paolo Castro
The Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champions thanks to a masterful 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals in front of their home fans.
After a tight first half, the Pacers held a slim 48-47 edge, but the Thunder scored consecutive three-pointers in the third period for a 9-0 run that created enough of a cushion to repulse any rally from the visiting team.
Thunder’s SGA named Finals MVP
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren were all instrumental in the victory, with the latter anchoring OKC’s defence inside the paint.
The Pacers, who extended the series with a home win in Game 6, lost main man Tyrese Haliburton with five minutes left in the first quarter due to a reported Achilles injury.
Indiana still battled it out but just couldn’t string up enough consecutive points to keep the game close in the final period.
SGA, meanwhile, managed 29 points and 12 assists to lead the Thunder home in the winner-take-all match, with the men from Oklahoma leading by as many as 22 points at one point in the second half.
He was later named the Finals MVP, adding another trophy to his collection after clinching the MVP title for the regular season.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Gilgeous-Alexander told journalists after the game.
“So many hours. So many moments. So many emotions. So many nights of disbelief. So many nights of belief. It’s crazy to know that we’re all here, but this group worked for it. This group put in the hours and we deserve this.”
Williams likewise came through when it mattered, scoring 20 points in the game, with 15 coming in the second half when the team posted a huge lead. Holmgren then filled out the stats sheet with 18 points, eight rebounds, and five blocked shots.
Carlisle proud of defeated Pacers
The Pacers were led by Bennedict Mathurin, who racked up 24 points and provided a huge spark off the bench, but they sorely missed Haliburton’s playmaking in the second half.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle pointed to the third period as the turning point of the game while lauding his players for their gallant stand until the end.
Reflecting on the defeat, he said: “It really hurts on the one hand. On the other hand, this team has given all of Pacer Nation something to be very proud of.”
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Bright future for youthful OKC
With OKC having a decidedly young core, the future is very bright for the team, and it can only get better as the players gain more play-off experience.
They also have a balanced line-up that can play on both ends of the floor, which was evident throughout the season as they clinched the top seed in the play-offs.
The Pacers likewise have a lot to look forward to next season, but their off-season moves, if any, will likely depend on the severity of the injury suffered by Haliburton.
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