Oklahoma City Thunder win first NBA title with dominant defense in Game 7

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder won their first NBA title with a heavy dose of an old standby –- their stingy defense.

The Thunder, who led the league in defensive rating in the regular season and the playoffs, turned in another gem in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, a 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night. Oklahoma City held the Pacers to 41.4% shooting in the deciding game, far below the 48.4% Indiana shot in the playoffs overall. The Thunder forced 21 turnovers and blocked eight shots.

“You have to really grind it out,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “It’s an endurance race. You have to be able to win in the mud. You have to be able to win ugly, have to be able to gut it out. That’s what we did. The team did an unbelievable job of that.”

The defensive effort, combined with another strong offensive performance by Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, put Oklahoma City over the top. The Thunder became the youngest NBA champions since the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers, with an average age of 25.68 years.

“It’s one of the biggest moments in city history,” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said. “We’ve achieved sports immortality, and that will open doors in our community far beyond basketball for years, decades to come. It’s a very, very special day we can build upon forever.”

Chet Holmgren led the way with five blocks, the most by a player in an NBA Finals Game 7 since blocks were first recorded in the 1973-74 season.

“Honestly, I never really play for records,” the 7-foot-1 forward said. “I never play for stats. All that will be forgotten. But us winning is forever. It’s immortal. I’m just so happy we were able to do that together as a team.”

Thunder guards Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace each had three steals.

Indiana played most of the game without guard Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered a lower right leg injury in the first quarter. Bennedict Mathurin did his best to help the Pacers stay in the game with 24 points and 13 rebounds.

Another spectacular effort by veteran TJ McConnell prevented Oklahoma City’s swarming defense from being even more dominant. McConnell scored 16 points on 8-for-13 shooting, confounding Thunder defenders with crafty moves around the basket.

But he also had seven turnovers.

“Their pressure can really get to you, but I was just trying to be aggressive and had some uncharacteristic turnovers, but that happens,” McConnell said. “Just proud of the fight. We fought to the end. Credit to OKC. They are just really good.”

Pascal Siakam, who had caused problems for the Thunder throughout the series, was held to 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting.

Dort, an All-Defense first-team selection, gave Indiana credit for hanging tough.

“I mean, they’re a great team,” he said. “They’ve got great players. I feel like we was just trying different stuff to mess them up and to disturb them. We threw them a lot of different defensive stuff. We were just trying to slow them down.”

Freelance writer Conrad Evans contributed to this report.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace, right, fouls Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso, left, defends against Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) passes against Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) during the second half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (Matthew Stockman/Pool Photo via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Johnson had 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in his seventh triple-double of the season, leading the Atlanta Hawks to a 111-99 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23 points and Onyeka Okongwu had 22 for the Hawks, while both Zaccharie Risacher and Luke Kennard scored 12.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 24 points. OG Anunoby had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Mikal Bridges added 18 points.

Ariel Hukporti, who replaced Karl-Anthony Towns (illness) in the starting lineup, grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds for New York.

The Knicks got off to a quick start, taking an 11-2 lead. Trailing 30-29, the Hawks scored the final four points of the first quarter and never trailed again.

Atlanta extended its lead to 60-45 on Okongwu’s short jumper with 1:16 remaining in the second quarter before Brunson’s runner cut the Knicks’ deficit to 60-47 at halftime.

Alexander-Walker’s driving layup with 1:14 left in the third quarter gave the Hawks their biggest lead of the game at 94-68 and they were ahead 94-70 at the end of the quarter.

The Knicks scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter and pulled within 94-81 before Kennard connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to end the streak.

New York mounted a final rally following consecutive 3-pointers by Bridges to edge within 108-99, but never got any closer.

The Hawks, who have won two in a row following a season-high, seven-game losing streak, became the first team to hold the Knicks to fewer than 100 points this season.

Atlanta's Trae Young (bruised right quadriceps) and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) each missed their third straight games.

Hawks: Visit Toronto on Saturday.

Knicks: Host Philadelphia on Saturday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu reacts after scoring a 3-point basket during first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) passes the ball around New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti (55) during second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, bottom, and Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) battle for the ball during second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, right, is defended by New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby during second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)