The Oklahoma City Thunder won this year's NBA championship on Sunday by dispatching the Indiana Pacers, 103-91, in Game 7.
It was a series that went longer than many anticipated, and early in Game 7, it looked like perhaps Indiana would become a true Cinderella team. But disaster struck in the first quarter when guard Tyrese Haliburton, its best player, went down with an apparent torn Achilles.
The Pacers, as they have done throughout the playoffs, continued to fight tooth and nail. But they turned into a pumpkin in the third quarter when they were outscored 34-20, and there went their season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the finals MVP, capping a sensational season for him. He joined ESPN's Scott Van Pelt after the game and had some very supportive and encouraging words for Haliburton.
"He's a hell of a player," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "His future is super bright. He can do whatever he wants with this league, and they'll be a really good team for a really long time."
Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in scoring with an average of 32.7 points a game, and he was recently named the regular-season MVP. While he shot just 8-of-27 from the field in Game 7, he made 11 of his 12 free throw attempts and had 12 assists to allow the Thunder to pull away.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0)
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0)
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
At the time of his injury, Haliburton had scored nine points and knocked down three 3-pointers in just seven minutes. He had come through in so many clutch moments throughout the postseason, but he fell victim to some of the worst fortune an athlete could possibly have.
If nothing else, he proved that he isn't overrated, as plenty of other players claimed in an anonymous poll conducted by The Athletic in April.