Keypoints Summary: NBA Finals 2025
- Oklahoma City Thunder face Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals
- Game 1 tips off Thursday night in Oklahoma City
- MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Olympic gold medalist Tyrese Haliburton lead their squads
- Both teams reached the Finals after blockbuster trades years ago
- Pacers in only their second NBA Finals appearance
- Thunder chasing first title since moving from Seattle
- Regular season: Thunder dominated Eastern Conference with 29-1 record
A Finals Years in the Making – NBA Finals 2025
The 2025 NBA Finals not built overnight. They began with a pair of monumental trades: the Pacers shipping Paul George to the Thunder in 2017 and Indiana landing Domantas Sabonis, who was later flipped for Tyrese Haliburton in 2022. OKC turned George into a haul that included rising superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Fast forward, and now both trades have shaped the face of the Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the newly crowned MVP, and Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers’ undisputed leader and Olympic gold medalist, goes head-to-head in a matchup that’s as thrilling as it is unexpected.
Thunder Dominance: A Season to Remember
The Thunder are riding a dream season. After finishing 68-14 in the regular season, they stormed through the playoffs: sweeping Memphis, edging out Denver in a seven-game thriller, and overpowering Minnesota in five games. Their total record? A jaw-dropping 80-18.
Chet Holmgren, the defensive wizard and rising force in OKC’s frontcourt, summed it up best: “If everybody guaranteed to win, it’d be a participation trophy instead of a Larry O’Brien.”
Pacers: From Underdogs to Unstoppable
Indiana story is a Cinderella run with grit. They started the season 10-15 and looked lottery-bound. But the Pacers ripped off a 40-17 finish, then steamrolled Milwaukee, stunned top-seeded Cleveland, and crushed the Knicks in Game 6 to capture the East.
Coach Rick Carlisle, proud and emotional, declared: “In 49 states, it’s just basketball. But this is Indiana. … Our guys earned this.”
Haliburton added, “We’re not done. Four more. Let’s go.”
The Paul George Connection
Ironically, these Finals carry the ghost of Paul George. His trade in 2017 triggered the dominoes that brought Gilgeous-Alexander to OKC. And his departure from Indiana ultimately led to Haliburton. Now, the Finals begin in Oklahoma City, in an arena where George once dazzled fans.
“One of the best years of his career,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. “It’s poetic, in a way.”
Head-to-Head: What the Stats Say
Oklahoma City swept Indiana 2-0 in the regular season and went an astounding 29-1 against the Eastern Conference overall. They’re fast, unselfish, and fearless from beyond the arc.
Indiana, however, has momentum and depth. They’re playing fearless, confident basketball with a roster that includes Myles Turner, Aaron Nesmith, and Andrew Nembhard stepping up in key moments.
Game 1 Set to Ignite – NBA Finals 2025
Game 1 tips off Thursday night in Oklahoma City, where fans are dreaming of their first championship since the franchise’s Seattle days in 1979. Indiana is desperate to finally hang their first NBA title banner after years of heartbreak.
It’s Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Haliburton. Speed vs. strategy. MVP vs. underdog.
Let the 2025 NBA Finals begin.
