2025 NBA Finals: How Oklahoma City Thunder emerged as title contender

Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals 2025 on June 19. The game will begin at 8:30 pm Eastern Time at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Oklahoma leads the series 3-2, having won back-to-back games. The team will be hoping to maintain their winning momentum today as well.
Oklahoma's performance in the NBA this season owes a lot to their dynamic and well-rounded team, Pro Football Network reported. Under general manager Sam Presti, the franchise has worked to bring together a solid team, focusing on flexibility, draft picks and player development. Now, the side is just one victory away from securing its second NBA title.
Oklahoma traded veterans like Paul George and Russell Westbrook to create a younger, more aggressive team. George spent two seasons in Oklahoma, but his partnership with Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook did not yield results as expected.
Trading George to the LA Clippers in 2019 gave the franchise Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's current MVP and a terrific two-way player. Trading George to the Clippers allowed Oklahoma City the choice of two pick swaps and five first-round picks. This brought Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams to the team in 2022 and 2024, respectively.
Under coach Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City is now the league's youngest team, with an average player age of 24.148 years.
Also read: NBA Finals Game 6: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers date, time, where to watch for free, live-streaming and more
The Canadian basketball player has turned out to be a huge asset for Oklahoma City. He has averaged 32.7 points per game this season, with 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals, as per the NBA. He became the NBA MVP this year, beating Nikola Jokić for the honor. This was the seventh consecutive season that an international player won the MVP award.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has also found support in Holmgren and Williams. The trio of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren has been the main reason behind Oklahoma City's resurgence. The upcoming game will be a chance for these players to secure another win for their team.
The fixture will be held on June 19 at 8:30 pm ET.
They used a strategy of trades and draft picks to create a more dynamic roster of players.
The game will be aired on ABC. Fans can also stream the game on Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV and Sling Blue.

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