The OKC Thunder secured a place in the NBA Finals after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the Conference Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named as the Western Conference Finals MVP for his exploits in the series as he averaged 31.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 8.2 APG.
The OKC Thunder dropped only Game 3 in the series, which was a 43-point blowout loss at the Target Center.
After the game, Gilgeous-Alexander shared where it went wrong for the team and led the bounce back in Games 4 and 5, helping the team reach their first NBA Finals since 2012.
Since making it to the NBA Finals, many have given huge praise to the OKC team with ESPN’s Jay Williams stating the current roster is even better than the team that made the Finals in 2012.
That side contained Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Kevin Durant, all of whom have gone on to win MVP trophies and achieve a lot in their careers.
But this team has created special records that even the former Big 3 of the Thunder could not achieve.
The Thunder secured home court advantage for the entirety of the playoffs after a stellar regular season where they won 68 games.
For the most of the 2024-25 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers looked like the side that would have the best record, but Thunder’s consistency helped them finish ahead with a four game difference over their Eastern Conference rivals.
Homecourt advantage in the playoffs have not been massive, with teams aside from Thunder having a 34-33 record.
The Thunder, on the other hand, have been dominant, with an 8-1 record at home and four wins by at least 30 points.
They have outscored their opponents by 221 points with their only loss coming against the Denver Nuggets, which was a two point loss in Game 1 of the series.
The average age of the Thunder’s roster is 25.33, and this ranks fourth among all teams in NBA history.
They have been dominant throughout the postseason and although the Nuggets took them to seven games and put pressure on them, they responded well by blowing out the experienced side in the series decider.
Many have questioned the team throughout the year, but they have responded time and again with elite performances.
Heading into the NBA Finals, they have a mighty record at home which is tough to bet against.
Either of the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks are going to be tough matchups, but the Thunder have had the much needed rest ahead of the series.
Stephen A. Smith has already picked the Thunder over the Knicks if the latter were to win in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Mark Daigenault has done a great job and even got praise from Jamal Crawford for his work with the team.
He has motivated the team to play brilliantly on both ends and if they continue doing what they have done all season, the team could win their first championship since relocating to Oklahoma.
