8 d. ago Thunder beat Pacers in Game 7 to win franchise’s first NBA title in Oklahoma City

As it happened: Pacers 91–103 ThunderFranchise claim first title since move from SeattlePacers lose star Tyrese Haliburton to injury in first-halfShai Gilgeous-Alexander named finals MVPThe Thunder became NBA champions on Sunday evening, topping the Indiana Pacers 103-91 to capture Oklahoma City’s first major pro sports title.Oklahoma City’s Game 7 answer, as during their dominant regular season, was youth. NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points and dished 12 assists to lead his team, supported by strong efforts from forward Jalen Williams (20 points) and Chet Holmgren (18 points, eight rebounds). The game was won amid decibel counts above 100, with thousands of Thunder fans stamping in unison as the team’s trio of young stars pushed the club toward the franchise’s first title since moving from Seattle in 2008. Continue reading...

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8 d. ago NBA finals 2025 Game 7: Thunder beat Pacers to claim title – live updates

Thunder best Pacers in winner-take-all deciderTyrese Haliburton goes down with apparent achilles injurySend David an email at david.lengel@theguardian.comPacers 5-2 Thunder, 10:15 1st quarterGame 7 of the NBA Finals is underway! A 14 foot jumper by Nembhard and a block of Williams by Nesmith gets the pensive OKC crowd just a bit stiffer. Great start by Indy! Continue reading...

Sport

8 d. ago Indiana Pacers v Oklahoma City Thunder: NBA finals Game 7 – live updates

Thunder host Pacers in winner-take-all Game 7Send David an email at david.lengel@theguardian.comThey said this series would suck. They said this series would be short. But I am here to say now, hello and welcome to our live coverage of Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Seven games, that’s as long as it can go. You don’t get bad seven game series, it doesn’t happen. The Thunder and Pacers match-up is no exception.For those of you new to basketball and wanted to see what all the fuss was about, the season ends tonight, and we’re guaranteed to have a new champion. So yeah, it’s kind of a big deal, which is why you’re here. Continue reading...

Sport

9 d. ago NBA Final winners: Where to watch NBA finals UK, what is the NBA Championship trophy made out of?

Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers face each other in game seven of the NBA Finals on Sunday evening.

Sport

1 week ago Ruthless Pacers throttle Thunder to push NBA finals to decisive Game 7

Indiana rout OKC 108-91 in Game 6 of NBA finalsThunder to host winner-take-all Game 7 on SundayFueled by defense, depth and defiance, the Indiana Pacers stormed to a 108-91 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, leveling the NBA finals at three games apiece and setting up a decisive Game 7 in Oklahoma City.Obi Toppin came off the bench to score 20 points, Andrew Nembhard added 17 points with four assists and Pascal Siakam had 16 points and 13 rebounds as Indiana bounced back from consecutive losses. Tyrese Haliburton, cleared to play only hours before tipoff due to a strained right calf, delivered 14 points, five assists and two steals in 22 high-impact minutes. Continue reading...

Sport

2 w. ago Thunder move one win from first NBA title in 46 years after holding off Pacers

Oklahoma City beat Indiana 120-109 in Game 5 of finalsWilliams leads way as OKC hold serve on home floorThunder one win from franchise’s first title since 1979The Oklahoma City Thunder moved within one win of their first NBA championship in 46 years on Monday night, beating the Indiana Pacers 120–109 in Game 5 of the NBA finals to take a 3-2 series lead.Jalen Williams erupted for a career playoff-high 40 points, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 points and 10 assists, and the Thunder held off a furious Indiana rally to secure a chance at clinching their first title since 1979 in Game 6 on Thursday in Indianapolis. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Thunder move one win from franchise’s first NBA title in 46 years after holding off Pacers

Oklahoma City beat Indiana 120-109 in Game 5 of finalsWilliams leads way as OKC hold serve on home floorFranchise last won title when based in SeattleThe Oklahoma City Thunder moved within one win of the franchise’s first NBA championship in 46 years on Monday night, beating the Indiana Pacers 120–109 in Game 5 of the NBA finals to take a 3-2 series lead.Jalen Williams erupted for a career playoff-high 40 points, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 points and 10 assists, and the Thunder held off a furious Indiana rally to secure a chance at clinching their first title since 1979 in Game 6 on Thursday in Indianapolis. Continue reading...

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3 w. ago NBA finals: Ruthless Thunder show Pacers no mercy as they level series 1

Indiana Pacers 107–123 Oklahoma City ThunderThunder level best-of-seven series at 1-1The Oklahoma City Thunder blew Game 1 of the NBA finals after holding a significant lead over the Indiana Pacers. In Game 2, they made sure there was no repeat, utterly dominating their opponents in a 123-107 victory that leveled the series at 1-1.In Game 1, the Thunder had a 12-point lead at half-time and a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter before losing to the Pacers courtesy of a Tyrese Haliburton basket in the final second. On Sunday night, they took control of the game early on, but this time they didn’t let their advantage go. Continue reading...

Culture

3 w. ago The unsinkable Pacers don’t need the lead. They just need the last word | Claire de Lune

Indiana didn’t lead for 47 minutes and 59.7 seconds of Thursday’s NBA finals opener. But belief, defiance and Tyrese Haliburton’s dramatic flair made the final 0.3 countThis is why you play the games, as the old adage goes. In recent years, the later rounds of the NBA playoffs – and the finals in particular – have felt rote. They’ve gone chalk. The drama was minimal, even under the brightest lights of the league’s biggest stage. This year has been different: a playoffs filled with suspense, tension and plot twists galore. But at the start of the finals, the scene was set for a regression to the intrigue-less mean. Every roundtable pundit, basketball expert and barbershop patron outside of Indiana state lines had Oklahoma City – basketball’s best team from wire to wire – winning the series easily.But Tyrese Haliburton, the instigator of several of this postseason’s most jaw-dropping twists, knows a thing or two about drama. It oozes out of his pores. And he and his Indiana Pacers had...

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3 w. ago Tyrese Haliburton explains how Pacers stunned Thunder with 0.3 seconds left

Haliburton’s late basket completed a remarkable game one comeback in the NBA Finals to earn a precious lead for Indiana

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3 w. ago NBA finals: Indiana Pacers stun Oklahoma City Thunder in final second to win Game 1 thriller

As it happened: Pacers 111–110 ThunderTyrese Haliburton scores with 0.3 seconds left to seal winNearly every analyst coming into this year’s NBA finals had the Oklahoma City Thunder beating the Indiana Pacers comfortably. The first three quarters of Game 1 did very little to contradict those predictions until the final minutes, when all hell broke loose.The reigning NBA MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, looked like, well, the NBA MVP for much of the game as he led the scoring with 38 points. His Thunder team went out to an early 7-0 lead and were 57-45 up by half-time. The second half seemed to be going the same way with the Thunder 15 points up at one point in the fourth quarter. Continue reading...

Sport

3 w. ago Indiana Pacers v Oklahoma City Thunder: NBA finals Game 1 – live

Oklahoma City host Indiana in NBA finals openerNBA finals 2025 predictions: can Indiana shock OKC?Send David an email at david.lengel@theguardian.comPacers 10-10 Thunder, 7:07, 1st quarterOKC force a turnover, but then Holmgren throws it away, giving the ball right back to Indy. Siakam shoots again, this time from 12 feet out, inside the paint, and gets a home roll, on the road. Continue reading...

Sport

3 w. ago Indiana Pacers v Oklahoma City Thunder: NBA finals Game 1 – live buildup

Oklahoma City host Indiana in NBA finals openerNBA finals 2025 predictions: can Indiana shock OKC?Send David an email at david.lengel@theguardian.comDavid will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s a look at our predictions for the NBA finals:Thunder in five. They’ve been utterly dominant all season. That’s mostly been the case for the playoffs too, allowing for some Jokić magic in the second round. The Pacers have been a ton of fun to watch, have impressive depth and a rising star in Haliburton. But the Thunder are deeper, more talented and have the best player in the series – that’s a recipe for a gentleman’s sweep. Ryan Baldi Continue reading...

Sport

3 w. ago Knicks reportedly fire Tom Thibodeau days after Eastern Conference finals defeat

Coach led team to verge of NBA finalsKnicks lost to Pacers 4-2 in conference finalsThe New York Knicks have fired coach Tom Thibodeau days after their loss in the Eastern Conference finals, according to multiple reports.The Knicks beat the defending champions, the Boston Celtics, during their run to the Conference finals but fell short of the NBA finals after a 4-2 series loss to the Indiana Pacers. Thibodeau’s in-game decisions were questioned by some during the series, but the conference finals run was the team’s first since 2000. Continue reading...

Events

last month Relentless Pacers overrun Knicks to set up NBA finals showdown with Thunder

Siakam scores 31 as Pacers reach second NBA finalsPacers’ 9-0 run after half sparks Game 6 knockoutKnicks commit 17 turnovers, fall short of comebackPascal Siakam scored 31 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 21 points and 13 assists, and the Indiana Pacers pulled away for a 125-108 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 on Saturday night to reach the NBA finals for the second time in franchise history.Obi Toppin added 18 points and six rebounds against his former team as the gold-clad crowd gave the starters a roaring ovation when they departed with 47.2 seconds left. Continue reading...

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