By: LV33 Sports News
A championship drought that has loomed over the NBA for ten long years may be nearing its end.
With a commanding 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder have punched their ticket to the 2025 NBA Finals—marking their first Finals appearance since 2012.
Leading the charge was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who dominated throughout the series and earned the title of Western Conference Finals MVP. The 26-year-old Canadian guard put up spectacular numbers, averaging 31.4 points, 8.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game.
MVP Season, Cursed History?
Gilgeous-Alexander’s standout playoff performance follows his crowning as NBA MVP on May 21, a first in his career after an electrifying regular season in which he posted 32.7 points per game. He led the Thunder to the league’s best regular-season record at 68-14.
But his MVP trophy comes with a notorious burden—no regular-season MVP has captured the championship in the same year since Stephen Curry did it with the Golden State Warriors back in 2015.
Since then, the MVP award has seemed almost cursed when it comes to postseason success. Gilgeous-Alexander is the first MVP in nine years to even reach the Finals. The last was Curry in 2016, when his 73-9 Warriors famously lost in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James.
Breaking the Streak?
The challenge now for Shai: do what no MVP has done in a decade and win it all. Curry’s MVP title in 2015 remains the last to coincide with an NBA championship. Every MVP since has seen their postseason end in disappointment—many before even reaching the Conference Finals.
- 2017: Russell Westbrook, Thunder – First-round exit
- 2018: James Harden, Rockets – Lost in Conference Finals
- 2019 & 2020: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks – Out before the Finals
- 2021–2024: Nikola Jokic (3x), Joel Embiid – All fell short
Will Gilgeous-Alexander break that curse and complete the MVP–Finals double not seen since Curry's Warriors beat the injury-depleted Cavaliers in 2015?
Finals Showdown: Thunder vs. Pacers
To do it, the Thunder must overcome the Indiana Pacers, who booked their spot in the Finals with a 4-2 win over the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The 2025 NBA Finals begin on Thursday, June 5, with Game 1 tipping off at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
A title win would not only end the Thunder’s 13-year championship wait—it could also rewrite the story for MVPs across the league.
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