NBA
OKLAHOMA CITY (KYMA, KECY) - The Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champions for the first time in franchise history since moving from Seattle. With a dominant second-half surge, they secured a 103-91 win in Game 7 over the Indiana Pacers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 29 points and 12 assists, capping off a historic season that saw him named not only the league's MVP, but now Finals MVP as well.
OKC's defense proved too much, forcing 21 turnovers and holding Indiana to just 41% from the field. Former Arizona Wildcats T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin gave the Pacers a spark, scoring 16 and 24 points respectively, but the real turning point came early.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, already nursing a calf strain, collapsed in the first quarter with a suspected Achilles injury. He did not return, and without their floor general, Indiana faded down the stretch.
It's the first championship for the Thunder since relocating in 2008, and the franchise's first title since 1979, when it was still the Seattle SuperSonics. With the average age of the roster under 26, this may just be the beginning of a new era of dominance in the West.