Category: NBA

2025 NBA mock draft roundup: Final Celtics first-round pick predictions originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics are a fascinating team to watch as the offseason ramps up following Sunday night’s conclusion of the NBA Finals.

The Celtics potentially could trade a player or two to try to shed salary and get under the second apron of the luxury tax. They also are an intriguing team ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, which begins Wednesday in Brooklyn.

The C’s have the No. 28 pick in the first round and the second pick (No. 32 overall) in the second round. Could they package these picks and move up in the Round 1 order? It’s not a bad idea.

If the Celtics keep the pick, taking the best player available would be the smartest strategy. Sure, it would help Boston if it added some frontcourt depth, especially with veteran centers Al Horford and Luke Kornet set to become unrestricted free agents this summer. Kristaps Porzingis is also entering the final year of his contract.

Adding a wing player, specifically a 3-and-D type, would make a lot of sense, too. Jayson Tatum will miss significant time recovering from Achilles surgery. Sam Hauser could potentially be on the trade block if Boston wants to shed salary. Therefore, adding some outside shooting would help the offense a lot.

The important thing for the Celtics is to get a player who can contribute right away. They are limited, due to the second apron, in how they can add talent to the roster. This makes finding young, talented, cost-controlled players through the draft even more critical.

The Celtics have found some good players late in the first round in recent drafts, most notably Robert Williams (No. 27, 2018) and Payton Pritchard (No. 26, 2020). They need to strike gold again in 2025.

Which specific players would be a good fit for the Celtics in the first round? Here are some predictions from recent expert mock drafts (with the author’s explanation/analysis, if provided).

Jeremy Woo, ESPN: Maxime Raynaud, PF/C, Stanford

“Raynaud has played himself into late first-round consideration alongside a somewhat short list of centers, which also includes Ryan Kalkbrenner and Yanic Konan Niederhauser. He is broadly viewed as having the most untapped upside of that trio, due to his flashes of offensive skill and more developed capacity to space the floor. His showing at the draft combine helped to reaffirm that, and the fact he only picked up basketball full-time as a high school senior coupled with strong intangibles has helped his stock.

“The Celtics are expected to be active this offseason, with a prerogative to trim payroll and Jayson Tatum out for an extended period of time. Those factors enable them to go most any direction with this pick and at No. 32, with the focus on cultivating long-term roster quality more so than addressing short-term needs this late in the draft. Raynaud would provide a viable depth option up front as he continues to develop.”

Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo! Sports: Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas

“Thiero is a slasher with a jacked frame and an explosive first step, but he has severe limitations on offense as a shooter. If he’s able to figure out the shot, then his length and versatility would make him a classic 3-and-D role player. The Celtics have had good success at improving shooters, so he’d be a fair bet at this spot, considering his other strengths are tailor-made for their system.”

Sam Vecenie, The Athletic: Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

“Kalkbrenner averaged 19 points and nine rebounds this year and has consistently been one of the best defensive players in the country over the last four years, winning the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year award in each season. With the Celtics looking to make trades to get them below the second apron, Kristaps Porziņģis is viewed as potentially expendable; Kalkbrenner would be a strong replacement with his ability to step away and shoot as well as protect the rim.”

Colin Ward-Henninger, CBS Sports: Noah Penda, SF, France

“Penda has an NBA-ready body, which would help the Celtics as they navigate what could be a transition year with Jayson Tatum expected to miss significant time and a trade or two possibly forthcoming. With great footwork and touch around the basket, Penda has a relentless motor and can be a wrecking ball (in good and bad ways) on both ends of the floor. His mechanics also suggest that he could become a better shooter than the percentages indicate.”

Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation: Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

Tankathon: Maxime Raynaud, PF/C, Stanford

Ultimate Celtics draft guide: Mock drafts, best fits, highlights and more originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NBA Finals concluded Sunday night with the Oklahoma City Thunder defeating the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 to secure their first championship, and now all 30 teams will immediately shift to a marquee offseason event: The 2025 NBA Draft.

The draft begins Wednesday night in Brooklyn with the first round at 8 p.m. ET, then the second round will take place Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET.

The 2025 draft class is considered by most experts to be pretty strong, especially in the lottery. The No. 1 pick is widely expected to be Duke star Cooper Flagg, who has all the makings of a generational star. But he’s not the only highly-rated prospect in this group.

The Boston Celtics have the No. 28 pick in the first round and the second pick (No. 32 overall) in the second round. It’s very important for the Celtics to get at least one decent player from this class, given the fact that they are among the few teams in the second apron of the luxury tax.

Looking for a deep dive on the 2025 draft class and which players the Celtics might target? We’ve got you covered.

Here’s a roundup of NBC Sports Boston’s NBA Draft-related content from Insider Chris Forsberg and our entire team.

Chris Forsberg’s 2025 NBA Mock Drafts

• 2025 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: C’s prioritize defense with their two picks
• 2025 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: What would a trade up look like for Celtics?

Celtics Draft Fits series

• Ryan Kalkbrenner
• Thomas Sorber
• Adou Thiero
• Rasheer Fleming
• Liam McNeeley
• Sion James
• Walter Clayton Jr.
• Asa Newell
• Nique Clifford
• Chaz Lanier
• Koby Brea
• Maxime Raynaud
• Cedric Coward
• Kasparas Jakucionis
• Jase Richardson

More NBA Draft content

• Why 2025 NBA Draft is so important for Celtics
• Will Celtics find a good player with No. 28 pick? What recent history says
• O’Connor: NBA sources view Dylan Harper as a franchise-changing talent
• How 2025 NBA Draft withdrawals might impact Celtics’ pick strategy
• How likely are Celtics to trade up for a lottery pick in NBA Draft?

NBA Draft Highlights

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander capped a dominant season as he led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Championship after beating the Indiana Pacers in game seven of the play-off finals.

The Canadian, 26, scored 29 points and had 12 assists in their 103-91 success over the Indiana Pacers in Oklahoma to clinch the series 4-3 - the first time since 2016 that the finals had gone to a deciding seventh game.

He was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) to add to his NBA regular season MVP award and scoring title, just the fourth player and the first since Shaquille O'Neal to achieve the rare treble in one season.

It is the Thunder's first title since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City from Seattle in 2008 after Seattle won the 1979 crown.

The Pacers lost key player Tyrese Haliburton to a leg injury just seven minutes into the contest when he slipped and fell while driving towards the basket, but still held a narrow 48-47 lead at half-time.

However, the Thunder, who with an average age of 25.6 are the youngest side to win an NBA Finals title since the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977, out-scored them 34-20 in the third quarter and pushed the lead out to as many as 22 points (90-68) in the fourth.

"It doesn't feel real, so many hours, so many moments, so many emotions, so many nights of disbelief," said Gilgeous-Alexander.

"It's crazy to know that we're all here. But this group worked for it, this group put in the hours and we deserved this."

"Our togetherness on and off the court, like how much fun we have, it made it so much easier. It made it feel like we were just kids playing basketball. It was so fun.

"We have a lot to grow, individually and as a group. I'm excited for the future of this team. This is a great start. I'm really excited for this team."

The Thunder completed a franchise record 68-win season, just four years after they recorded only 22 victories across a Covid-shortened 2020-21 campaign, their first under coach Mark Daigneault, who took over in November 2020.

"They behave like champions, they compete like champions," said the 40-year-old, who has overseen a dramatic change of fortunes which saw the Thunder break through last season with a play-off appearance.

"They root for each others' success, which is rare in professional sports. I've said it many times and I'll say it one more time - this is an uncommon team and now they're champions.

"The whole run I've tried to help the guys just be who we are, and all we needed is to be who we are."

Agony for Haliburton

The exit of Haliburton, who had scored three three-pointers in the first five minutes of the game, was a cruel blow for the Pacers.

The 25-year-old point guard had suffered a right calf strain in Game 5 which he had been playing through, but he screamed with pain as he fell to the ground and had to be helped off court.

"What happened with Tyrese, all of our hearts dropped," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, adding that Haliburton was in the locker room at half-time "and he was very much a part of a group that believed that they could do this".

Carlisle added: "He will be back. I don't have any medical information about what may or may not have happened. But he'll be back in time."

Thunder join Warriors in exclusive NBA company after Finals win over Pacers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Oklahoma City Thunder did something only the Warriors and two other NBA teams have done before.

By winning Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday at Paycom Center, Oklahoma City notched its 84th win (playoffs and regular season combined) of the 2024-25 season, something only three other teams, including Golden State in 2016, have done.

The four teams to win 84+ games (regular season and playoffs combined) in a single season:

▪️ 2015-16 Warriors: 88-18
▪️ 1995-96 Bulls: 87-13
▪️ 1996-97 Bulls: 84-17
▪️ 2024-25 Thunder: 84-21 https://t.co/5sm6rG9i47

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 23, 2025

However, the Thunder’s 84th win came with a championship, while the Warriors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games nine years ago after winning 73 games during the regular season, the most in NBA history.

After that heartbreaking 2016 Finals loss, though, Golden State once again climbed the NBA mountaintop and won the championship again in 2017. And again in 2018. And again in 2022.

Maybe a similar dynastic run is in store for the Thunder?

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Tyrese Haliburton sustained torn Achilles in Pacers' Game 7 loss: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Indiana Pacers’ worst fears were realized a day after they lost out on an NBA championship.

Star guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn right Achilles tendon in the Pacers’ Game 7 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday night, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.

Haliburton had suffered a calf injury in Game 5 of the NBA Finals but played in the Pacers’ Game 6 win in Indiana on Thursday. He opened Game 7 with nine points on three 3-pointers in the first seven minutes before falling to the floor with a leg injury. He was helped off the court and later ruled out for the rest of the decisive Game 7, which the Thunder went on to win 103-91.

The Pacers initially ruled it a “right lower leg injury,” but the diagnosis of a torn Achilles was the expected result.

Haliburton is one of several NBA stars to suffer a torn Achilles in the 2025 playoffs. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum sustained one in the second round against the New York Knicks, while Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard sustained one in the first round against the Pacers.

It can take more than a full year for a player to recover from a torn Achilles, putting Haliburton’s status for the 2025-26 season in jeopardy.

Haliburton’s injury drew immediate comparisons to Kevin Durant, who tore his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors after dealing with a calf injury of his own. Durant missed the entire 2019-20 NBA season and returned to the floor to start the 2020-21 campaign with the Brooklyn Nets, ultimately waiting 18 months between games.

From Haliburton's injury to KD trade, how NBA's wild Sunday impacts Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics’ 370-day reign as NBA champions ended Sunday. But even before the Oklahoma City Thunder outlasted the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the 2025 Finals, the NBA delivered an absolutely head-spinning final day that will have lasting repercussions on the league as a whole.

The Houston Rockets acquired Kevin Durant in hopes of chasing the new champs. The Pacers lost Tyrese Hailburton to an Achilles injury that potentially could sideline him for the entirety of the 2025-26 season.

How did the NBA’s wild day impact the Celtics? Let’s digest it all:

East feels even more wide open

You can’t help but feel for the Pacers. Not only did they endure a stomach punch of a Game 7 loss to the Thunder — a close game that got ripped open in the second half as Indy struggled with ball security in Haliburton’s absence — but the injury to their star guard now complicates their path to getting back to the championship stage.

In the span of less than two months, Haliburton, Jayson Tatum, and Damian Lillard all suffered Achilles injuries. The Pacers, Bucks, and Celtics have represented the Eastern Conference in four of the last five NBA Finals. If the conference felt wide open before Game 7, it feels especially outstretched as we wait for the league calendar to officially flip.

Every single playoff qualifier in the East last season should feel like it can win the conference next season. Some of that confidence will hinge on how rosters shake out this summer, but even the trio of teams that lost their stars to Achilles injuries can still compete given the state of the conference.

The Magic already loaded up with the addition of Desmond Bane. The Pistons still have room for a big swing. The Cavaliers are smarting from an early exit after dominating the conference. The Knicks still need a coach but are coming off the deep trek to the East Finals.

The East could be a lot of fun next season despite some star absences.

Another shoe to drop in Durant trade?

The Rockets acquired 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, and five second-round picks.

On one hand, it’s a solid haul for a soon-to-be 37-year-old player who hasn’t been out of the second round of the playoffs since Golden State won back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019. But Houston maintained much of its core and is positioned to build off last year’s No. 2 finish in the West.

The big takeaways from a Celtics perspective: 

1. Durant stayed out West, a relief in case a long-shot suitor like the Pistons or Raptors had emerged. 
2. The Suns still must decide if Green is a part of their future, and there could be further wheeling and dealing as part of this swap that won’t be finalized until the new league year on July 6. The Celtics have motivation to try to offload money if they can wiggle into other teams’ dealings (though there are no obvious pathways in this current deal).

Chasing the Thunder

The Thunder are NBA champions. Massachusetts can take a small piece of the credit given all the local ties to the Thunder brain trust in general manager Sam Presti (Concord), assistant GM Rob Hennigan (Worcester), and head coach Mark Daigneault (Leominster). 

The bigger concern for the Celtics, and the rest of the NBA, is how OKC is set up for a sustained run as a title threat. As teams scramble to cut money and get their finances in order, the Thunder have the assets and financial flexibility to continue adding to their title squad. Or they can just ride it out with the current core, which should only get better with time. 

Of course, the last couple months have proven that injuries are the ultimate wild card to any NBA season. No year goes exactly to script. The Celtics were supposed to be on the title stage at the end of the 2024-25 season, but things changed in a hurry.

Still, as teams start building their rosters for the new season, all moves are pondered against the backdrop of how teams can compete with the Thunder moving forward.

The 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.

“We definitely have room to grow that’s the fun part of this, we don’t have many people in their quote unquote prime,” said Gilgeous-Alexander after the game.

Schedule

Best of seven. Thunder win series 4-3.

Thu 5 Jun Game 1: Pacers 111, Thunder 110

Sun 8 Jun Game 2: Thunder 123, Pacers 107

Wed 11 Jun Game 3: Pacers 116, Thunder 107

Fri 13 Jun Game 4: Thunder 111, Pacers 104

Mon 16 Jun Game 5: Thunder 120, Pacers 109

Thu 19 Jun Game 6: Pacers 108, Thunder 91

Sun 22 Jun Game 7: Thunder 103, Pacers 91

How to watch

In the US, all games will air on ABC. Streaming options include ABC.com or the ABC app (with a participating TV provider login), as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV, DIRECTV STREAM and Sling TV (via ESPN3 for ABC games). NBA League Pass offers replays, but live finals games are subject to blackout restrictions in the US.

In the UK, the games will be available on TNT Sports and Discovery+. As for streaming, NBA League Pass will provide live and on-demand access to all finals games without blackout restrictions.

In Australia, the games will broadcast live on ESPN Australia. Kayo Sports and Foxtel Now will stream the games live, while NBA League Pass will offer live and on-demand access without blackout restrictions.

The Thunder overcame yet another relentless performance from the Pacers, who worked most of Game 7 without Tyrese Haliburton. The All-Star point guard splashed three three-pointers in the game’s first seven minutes before falling to the floor in the first period driving on the Thunder defense, crumpling without contact, immediately slapping the floor in anguish. The Pacers ruled him out for the remainder of the game with a lower leg injury. The player’s father, John, later told ESPN his son had injured his achilles.

“I could not imagine that happening in the biggest game of my life,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “It is so unfortunate, it is not fair.”

The Pacers led by five with Haliburton on the floor, and the first half featured 11 lead changes with nine ties, but Indiana ran out of energy competing without their All-Star as the evening moved along. Reserve Pacer point guard TJ McConnell, whom the Thunder already prepared to hound after his superb Game 5 and 6 finals performances, contributed 16 points and six assists but also seven turnovers, working a season-high 28 minutes.

The Thunder kept their longtime large starting lineup. Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren started together, and the home team remained tall, keeping the two bigs in the lineup as super sixth man Alex Caruso entered alongside the two seven-footers (a rare look) in the first quarter, immediately splashing two three-pointers.

Caruso started the second half and was key in spreading the floor for Williams, only 24, who scored nine points in the third quarter. Holmgren, who recently turned 23, managed seven in the period. Gilgeous-Alexander, who will be 27 in July, hit for six points and three assists in the third as the Thunder outscored the visitors 34-20 in the decisive third quarter, driving a close game into a rout.

A three from Myles Turner tied the score at 56-56 in the third before the Thunder responded with a trio of three-pointers from their foundational triptych: Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren, and Williams in a row. McConnell turned it over twice in the stretch as the Thunder ran a one-point half-time deficit into an 81-68 advantage meeting the fourth quarter.

Bennedict Mathurin’s transition scoring dragged Oklahoma City’s 22-point lead down to 12 with 4:40 left in Game 7 before Gilgeous-Alexander pushed the Thunder into the free-throw bonus, a whistle earning ire from Pacer coach Rick Carlisle, who was close to being ejected.

Gilgeous-Alexander extended the lead to 14 with two free throws, McConnell missed a layup over Holmgren, and the Thunder saw their first NBA title in Oklahoma City take hold.

Gilgeous-Alexander was named finals MVP, capping a brilliant season for the Canadian star.

“This isn’t just a win for me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “This is a win for my family. This is a win for my friends. This is a win for everyone who was in my corner growing up. This is a win for the fans.”

The night was dampened by Haliburton’s injury and absence. The Pacer guard delighted NBA fans in canning buzzer-beating, game-winning baskets over Milwaukee, Cleveland, New York, topping the Thunder in Game 1 with the game’s deciding basket after yet another Pacer comeback win. An achilles injury could knock Haliburton out for all of 2025-26, knowledge not lost on his teammates as they sweated to battle the Thunder.

Indiana gave all, but the Thunder owned more.

Sixers draft profile: Ace Bailey has inspired tons of pre-draft debate  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

A scouting report on NBA draft prospect Ace Bailey:

• Position: Wing 
• Height: 6-foot-7.5 (without shoes)
• Weight: 203 pounds 
• College: Rutgers 

Strengths 

Bailey plays with a serious smoothness and self-assured nature. He has explosive bursts — out-of-nowhere blocks, emphatic slams — but largely seems to glide with an athleticism beyond combine testing numbers. 

Rutgers’ listing of Bailey’s height at 6-10 was a bit generous. Still, he’s got good size for an NBA wing, including a wingspan just over 7 feet. It also helps that Bailey has a high release on his jump shot and can fire it very quickly. 

Shotmaking is the most attractive aspect of Bailey’s game. He scores plenty of tightly guarded buckets — catch-and-shoot jumpers, pull-ups, leaners, post-up fadeaways. As a freshman in the Big Ten, Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and one steal per game. 

He believes he can make anything and that he’ll be great in the NBA. Asked about players he’s modeled his game after at the combine, Bailey told reporters, “(Kevin Durant), Paul George, Jayson Tatum and (Tracy McGrady). I can see some (Carmelo Anthony) in me, too. We create shots, we can shoot over defenders, create our own space.” 

Bailey’s defensive tools are eye-catching. It’s not hard to imagine his positional versatility and weak-side shot blocking being significant assets at the next level. Given Bailey’s youth (18 years old) and the muscle he’s likely to gain over the next few years, the notion that he’s due for major development on both ends is reasonable. 

Weaknesses 

On a 15-17 Rutgers team, Bailey’s decision-making wasn’t stellar. He dished out just 38 assists over his 30 games and committed 61 turnovers.

If Bailey continues to lean on shooting in the NBA, it’s fair to have questions about why his basic numbers were unimpressive. He shot 46 percent from the floor, 34.6 percent from three-point range and 69.2 percent at the foul line. Shot selection is relevant here, and Bailey was much better on free throws in the second half of the season — 46 of his final 56, 82.1 percent — but he doesn’t have the sharpshooting résumé of prospects like Tre Johnson and Kon Knueppel.

Bailey’s lack of physical strength may be limiting early in his NBA career, especially when it comes to reaching the paint and scoring there. If that’s the case, he’ll need to be an elite jump shooter in order to score efficiently. 

Separate from Bailey’s skills, his handling of the pre-draft process has drawn headlines. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported, “The feedback from his interviews at the draft combine in Chicago was not all that positive, with some teams expressing concern about his lack of preparation and focus.” Bailey canceled a scheduled workout with the Sixers and has not yet visited any teams, ESPN reported.

Fit 

The Sixers may wind up with a guard-heavy core of the future that features Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes. Bailey certainly would not be redundant. 

For any team, the optimistic vision of what Bailey could be is appealing. No one would mind a two-way wing who drains tons of tough shots. 

Of course, it’s possible to think Bailey could become a fantastic NBA player and still feel someone else like VJ Edgecombe is a better overall prospect. There’s clearly no consensus. 

George is a noted admirer of Bailey. 

“I think he has big-time potential,” George said on his podcast. “He has big-time talent. He can score from any spot on the floor. He has an isolation game, which you don’t see that often in kids that size that early. He can make plays, he can shoot over the top of defenses, he can take advantage of mismatches, he can handle the ball in pick-and-rolls. He can catch and shoot. He can defend. 

“I’ve seen him play elite defense on chase-down blocks … running guys off threes, keeping guys in front of him. I think he just has tremendous talent across the board. … I love his upside, man. I’ve been a fan of his game for a little while now and I think he’s going to be huge in the league. People think it might take him a minute, based on his skill set, but I think he’s going to come into the league and make noise right away.” 

Watch: Thunder player's baby amusingly knocked out on NBA Finals podium originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Oklahoma City relished a raucous atmosphere at Paycom Center after the team won the NBA title for the first time in the city’s history.

But there was someone not fazed by the rowdy cheers and excitement of 18,000-plus fans.

That someone was Isaiah Hartenstein’s baby son.

As the Thunder celebrated being crowned the latest NBA champions, fans noticed how Hartenstein’s son was knocked out asleep on his father’s chest on the podium. Even teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, also named Finals MVP, helped prop up his head to avoid being further slumped.

ESPN reporter Lisa Salters talked to Hartenstein on the podium and asked him about his son.

“I don’t know why he’s asleep right now, but I guess it’s not loud enough,” Hartenstein said before giving fans an order. “I’m going to need y’all to get louder real quick.”

Despite the fans’ increased volume of cheers and claps, the baby remained knocked out.

The NBA world had plenty of reactions to the moment, including former Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant, who congratulated his ex-team for its victory.

It’ll make a great story for Hartenstein to tell his son one day when he’s grown up.

OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins elite club after NBA Finals, MVP wins originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

He’s the most valuable player. The scoring champion. And now, an NBA champion along with NBA Finals MVP.

All in one season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has entered one of the game’s most elite clubs.

The 26-year-old Canadian is atop the basketball world now in almost every way imaginable. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder captured the NBA title on Sunday night, beating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 to win the finals in a seven-game thriller.

He becomes the fourth player in NBA history to win MVP, Finals MVP, a scoring title and play for a champion in the same season. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it once, Michael Jordan then did it four times, and Shaquille O’Neal was the last entrant into that fraternity — until now.

“A lot of hard work, a lot of hours in the gym,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “This isn’t just a win for me. This is a win for my family. This is a win for my friends. This is a win for everybody that was in my corner growing up. This is a win for the fans, the best fans in the world.”

The title caps a season where the Thunder won 84 games, tied for the third most by any team in any season in NBA history. Gilgeous-Alexander finished the season with 64 games of at least 30 points. The only other players to score 30 points that many times in a season: Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Bob McAdoo, James Harden, Jordan and Abdul-Jabbar.

It is amazing company. With due respect to those legends, Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t care. The Thunder are NBA champions. That’s more than enough for him.

“Focusing on just being the best version of myself for this basketball team, for whatever it takes, for however many games it is, however many possessions is needed, however many moments,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Ultimately, I’m just trying to stay in the moment. I think that’s what’s gotten me here. That’s what has helped me achieve the MVP award, achieve all the things I’ve achieved. It’s helped this team win basketball games.”

This was not a sneak attack up the ladder of superstardom. Gilgeous-Alexander has been climbing those rungs for years.

He’s one of only two players — Giannis Antetokounmpo is the other — to average at least 30 points per game in each of the last three seasons. He led Canada to a bronze medal (over the United States, no less) at the World Cup in 2023, been an All-Star and first-team All-NBA pick for three years running, played in his first Olympics last year, and just finished a season where he posted career bests in points and assists per game.

He scored 3,172 points this season, including playoffs, the ninth-most by any player in NBA history.

Oh, and he’s a champion now.

“He’s getting better every year in just about everything,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I think he’s really improved as a playmaker. … And then he’s an unbelievable scorer, and incredibly efficient. We lean into that. He leans into that. He’s learned when teams load up on him and they overcommit, to get off it early, and I think that’s reflected in the way we’ve played offense throughout the course of the season.”

Opponents have no choice but to marvel at how Gilgeous-Alexander does what he does. He’s not a high-flying artist like Jordan, not an unstoppable force of power like LeBron James, not a 3-point dazzler like Stephen Curry. He looks like he’s playing at his own pace much of time, largely because defenses have few ways to slow him down or speed him up.

“Shai, he’s so good,” Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton — who suffered a serious lower leg injury that knocked him out of Game 7 in the first quarter — said during the series. “He’s so slippery in between those gaps. He splits screens, like, I don’t know how he’s doing that. … He’s a really tough cover.”

Gilgeous-Alexander is the face of basketball in Oklahoma City, is rapidly becoming one of the faces of the NBA — his jersey is now one of the highest-selling — and it’s no secret that he is the icon for fans in Canada now. It used to be Steve Nash, the first Canadian to win NBA MVP.

Now, Nash has help.

“You can only imagine and get excited about all the kids around the world, but in particular Canadians that will be affected so positively, whether they’re basketball players or not, by the way he carries himself, by the way he executes and commits to his profession,” Nash said. “It’s remarkable and he’s an amazing example for everybody out there, not just kids.”

There’s no question Nash had some impact on Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise in the game. Another great who did: Kobe Bryant.

There are parallels: similar body types, even similar ways they answer questions. Bryant famously said “job’s not finished” when asked about his Lakers getting within two wins of a title one year; Gilgeous-Alexander had a similar moment after the Thunder got to three wins in this series, saying “we haven’t done anything.”

They have now.

“He is probably my favorite player of all time,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of Bryant. “Never got the chance to meet him. With me, with kids all across the world, his influence has gone through the roof. He’ll be remembered forever because of the competitor and the basketball player he was. Yeah, I’m hopefully somewhere close to that as a basketball player one day.”

He’s not there yet.

But Gilgeous-Alexander got one day closer Sunday, when he reached basketball’s mountaintop for the first time.

“It means everything,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We rose to the moment. And here we are.”

Thunder claim first NBA championship with 103-91 Game 7 win vs. Pacers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The NBA championship is headed to Oklahoma City for the first time ever.

In Game 7 of the NBA Finals Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder emerged victorious at home with a 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took home the Finals MVP honors in the same season he won his first league MVP.

The excitement was palpable, given it was the first Game 7 in a final series since 2016 when the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame the Golden State Warriors.

But the good vibes were sucked out of the air at Paycom Center and behind TV screens at the five-minute mark of the first quarter.

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who entered the game with a calf strain suffered earlier in the series, went down with an Achilles injury and was later ruled out. He was visibly in tears and overcome with emotion after a blazing-hot start. His season ended with a lead on the biggest stage in basketball.

Without their franchise cornerstone, the Pacers needed to do the improbable. Indiana looked shaken after Haliburton left the court, but remained composed and actually went into overtime with a 48-47 advantage.

But the Thunder turned it around in the third quarter, showing much more determination and less nervy hands than the opening half. They opened to a nine-point lead before T.J. McConnell, Haliburton’s backup, singlehandedly took matters into his own hands.

McConnell’s run didn’t last long enough, however, as Oklahoma City then pushed to a double-digit cushion and led by 13 going into the fourth. The 33-year-old guard was responsible for his team’s last 12 points, with Pascal Siakam questionably on the bench.

The lead ballooned in favor of Oklahoma City in the early stages of the fourth to as much as 22. Indiana, which had a miraculous run of stunning comebacks victories in its journey to this stage, did not have one last complete turnaround in the tank despite trimming the gap.

Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC with 29 points. He struggled on 8 of 27 shooting, but went 11 of 12 from the foul line. Jalen Williams, who had a major 40-burger earlier in the series, added 20 points on 7 of 20 shooting.

Chet Holmgren turned in a smoother performance, going 6 of 8 from the floor for 18 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace each chipped in 10 points off the bench.

Indiana was led by Bennedict Mathurin’s 24 bench points and 13 rebounds, while McConnell had 16. The starters didn’t have the momentum, as Siakam finished with just 16 points on 5 of 13 shooting in 37 minutes. Andrew Nembhard was the only other player in double figures with 15 points on 4 of 10 shooting.

Defense wins championships, and the key difference boiled down to the turnover differential. The Thunder had eight turnovers and conceded 10 points off them. Indiana coughed up the rock 23 points, allowing 32 Thunder points to come to fruition.

It’s a whopping tilt, especially given the 3-point numbers that have become ever so important in the modern game. The Thunder went 11 of 40 for a 27.5% rate, while Indiana shot 11 of 28 from deep for a 39.3% clip. Should Indiana have let it fly more in a do-or-die scenario?

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, 40, also won his first league title, exhibiting a steady five-year climb from being at the bottom of the Western Conference to the top of the NBA summit.

Both teams entered the series seeking their first ever NBA championships. Oklahoma City started the season with contending aspirations given its upward trajectory the last few years, with the last Finals appearance coming in 2012 — a loss to LeBron James and the Miami Heat with a core of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

The Thunder do have a championship under their name from 1979, but that was when they were the Seattle Supersonics.

For Indiana, it also has just one other Finals appearance in its current history. That came in 2000 when the Pacers fell to a Los Angeles Lakers side anchored by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Indiana’s core featured Reggie Miller, Jalen Rose, Chris Mullin and Mark Jackson.

Pacers fans and the entire organization and will now forever ponder the “What if?” of Haliburton staying healthy after how the game began.

Thunder claim first NBA championship with 103-91 Game 7 win vs. Pacers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NBA championship is headed to Oklahoma City for the first time ever.

In Game 7 of the NBA Finals Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder emerged victorious at home with a 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took home the Finals MVP honors in the same season he won his first league MVP.

The excitement was palpable, given it was the first Game 7 in a final series since 2016 when the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame the Golden State Warriors.

But the good vibes were sucked out of the air at Paycom Center and behind TV screens at the five-minute mark of the first quarter.

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who entered the game with a calf strain suffered earlier in the series, went down with an Achilles injury and was later ruled out. He was visibly in tears and overcome with emotion after a blazing-hot start. His season ended with a lead on the biggest stage in basketball.

Without their franchise cornerstone, the Pacers needed to do the improbable. Indiana looked shaken after Haliburton left the court, but remained composed and actually went into overtime with a 48-47 advantage.

But the Thunder turned it around in the third quarter, showing much more determination and less nervy hands than the opening half. They opened to a nine-point lead before T.J. McConnell, Haliburton’s backup, singlehandedly took matters into his own hands.

McConnell’s run didn’t last long enough, however, as Oklahoma City then pushed to a double-digit cushion and led by 13 going into the fourth. The 33-year-old guard was responsible for his team’s last 12 points, with Pascal Siakam questionably on the bench.

The lead ballooned in favor of Oklahoma City in the early stages of the fourth to as much as 22. Indiana, which had a miraculous run of stunning comebacks victories in its journey to this stage, did not have one last complete turnaround in the tank despite trimming the gap.

Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC with 29 points. He struggled on 8 of 27 shooting, but went 11 of 12 from the foul line. Jalen Williams, who had a major 40-burger earlier in the series, added 20 points on 7 of 20 shooting.

Chet Holmgren turned in a smoother performance, going 6 of 8 from the floor for 18 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace each chipped in 10 points off the bench.

Indiana was led by Bennedict Mathurin’s 24 bench points and 13 rebounds, while McConnell had 16. The starters didn’t have the momentum, as Siakam finished with just 16 points on 5 of 13 shooting in 37 minutes. Andrew Nembhard was the only other player in double figures with 15 points on 4 of 10 shooting.

Defense wins championships, and the key difference boiled down to the turnover differential. The Thunder had eight turnovers and conceded 10 points off them. Indiana coughed up the rock 23 points, allowing 32 Thunder points to come to fruition.

It’s a whopping tilt, especially given the 3-point numbers that have become ever so important in the modern game. The Thunder went 11 of 40 for a 27.5% rate, while Indiana shot 11 of 28 from deep for a 39.3% clip. Should Indiana have let it fly more in a do-or-die scenario?

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, 40, also won his first league title, exhibiting a steady five-year climb from being at the bottom of the Western Conference to the top of the NBA summit.

Both teams entered the series seeking their first ever NBA championships. Oklahoma City started the season with contending aspirations given its upward trajectory the last few years, with the last Finals appearance coming in 2012 — a loss to LeBron James and the Miami Heat with a core of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

The Thunder do have a championship under their name from 1979, but that was when they were the Seattle Supersonics.

For Indiana, it also has just one other Finals appearance in its current history. That came in 2000 when the Pacers fell to a Los Angeles Lakers side anchored by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Indiana’s core featured Reggie Miller, Jalen Rose, Chris Mullin and Mark Jackson.

Pacers fans and the entire organization and will now forever ponder the “What if?” of Haliburton staying healthy after how the game began.