The Thunder turned up the heat in the third quarter with tough defense and sharp shooting, taking down the Indiana Pacers 103-91 to capture their first NBA title on June 23.
Indiana Pacers Top Performers:
Benedict Mathurin 24 PTS | 13 REB | 2 STL | 47.1 FPS
Mathurin made a strong defensive impact in the first half and showed a lot of fight in the fourth quarter, going a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line and scoring 16 points. While he hasn’t consistently seen heavy minutes in the playoffs, he’s proven himself as a capable scorer with multiple big performances.
Pascal Siakam 16 PTS | 4 REB | 1 BLK | 28.8 FPS
Siakam has been outstanding throughout the series and carried that momentum into the finals, scoring 7 points in the first quarter alone. However, he couldn’t get much going in the second half. Still, he had a remarkable run in the finals and has emerged as an all-around powerhouse, averaging nearly 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and close to 3 stocks.
Andrew Nembhard 15 PTS | 5 REB | 6 AST | 28.0 FPS
Nembhard had a good start, shooting well and contributing across multiple areas. However, he struggled to maintain that momentum in the second half as the Thunder gradually pulled away. Still, it has been an excellent season for him, and with Haliburton expected to miss time, he’s expected to take on a much bigger role for the team next season.
TJ McConnell 16 PTS | 6 REB | 3 AST | 26.7 FPS
McConnell started slow but took over in the third quarter, scoring 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting from two to help keep his team in the game. He’s been very consistent in this matchup, shooting over 50% and scoring in double figures both five times while also leading their offense.
Aaron Nesmith 6 REB | 2 BLK | 2 STL | 22.7 FPS
Nesmith should have been a bigger factor on offense with Haliburton injured but failed to step up, finishing with a playoff-low on 1-for-5 shooting. However, he did put in a lot of effort on defense but also fouled out for the third time in the Finals.
Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 29 PTS | 5 REB | 12 AST| 61.0 FPS
SGA once again delivered at an MVP level. While he struggled from the perimeter, shooting just 2-for-12 from three, he was nearly perfect at the free-throw line, hitting 11 of 12 attempts. He finished with his 86th game this season—including the playoffs—with 25 or more points. SGA’s scoring has been on another level, as he has now averaged 30 points for the third consecutive season. He was also brilliant as a playmaker, recording 12 assists with only one turnover. It has been an incredible year for Gilgeous-Alexander, who became the first player in NBA history to win the Regular Season MVP, Conference Finals MVP, and NBA Finals MVP in the same season.
Chet Holmgren 18 PTS | 8 REB | 5 BLK | 45.6 FPS
Holmgren has been on a slump on offense, but he stepped up when it mattered most, delivering his best performance in this series. He was highly efficient, shooting 6-for-8 from the field, and made a huge impact on defense—containing McConnell and recording 5 blocks, the most in an NBA Finals Game 7.
Jalen Williams 20 PTS | 4 REB | 4 AST | 35.8 FPS
JDub got off to a rough start, shooting just 2-for-7 for 5 points in the first half. But he turned things around in the third quarter with 9 points to help push the lead to double digits. Already one of the league’s top two-way players, he’s continued to show even greater potential as a scorer in these Finals.
Alex Caruso 10 PTS | 3 REB | 3 STL | 25.6 FPS
Caruso got off to a strong start, making an impact on both ends of the floor with two three-pointers and two steals in just the first quarter. He slowed down on offense after but he kept making big plays on the defensive end. He also became just the third player in NBA history to record 20 or more steals in the Finals.
Lu Dort 9 PTS | 7 REB | 3 STL | 25.4 FPS
Dort continued to struggle on offense, shooting just 2-for-9 from the perimeter. But he more than made up for it with solid defense while also providing a lot of hustle, making a huge difference in the second half.
Biggest Disappointment of the Game:
Obi Toppin 0 PTS | 2 REB | 1 AST
Toppin has performed really well for most of this series and averaged 16 points in his last three games. But he was completely off today, shooting 0-for-4 from the field and turning the ball a number of times.
