From Bottom Feeders to Finals Titans: The Unbelievable Rise of the Pacers and Thunder
In 2022, the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder found themselves buried near the bottom of their respective conferences. The Pacers limped to a 25–57 finish, good for 13th in the East. The Thunder fared little better in the West, logging just 24 wins and finishing 14th. Both teams were viewed as long-term rebuild projects—young, promising, but years away from relevance.
Fast forward to June 2025, and those same franchises are squaring off in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
What happened in just three years? A masterclass in vision, patience, and bold decision-making—proving that in today’s NBA, a smart front office, developmental culture, and a bit of guts can vault a team from the lottery to the mountaintop in record time.
For the Indiana Pacers, the transformation began with a franchise-altering move: the February 2022 trade that sent All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento in exchange for an unproven but high-upside point guard—Tyrese Haliburton. At the time, critics questioned whether Haliburton could be a true franchise centerpiece. He didn’t just rise to the challenge—he soared. By 2025, Haliburton had evolved into a superstar floor general, leading the league in assists and earning First-Team All-NBA honors.
But Haliburton wasn’t alone. Indiana paired him with Myles Turner, whose defensive tenacity provided a backbone, and added key pieces through smart drafting and timely trades. Bennedict Mathurin brought scoring punch off the bench, and the 2024 selection of Kendall Rivers—an elite two-way wing—gave the Pacers one of the most balanced lineups in basketball. The final puzzle piece came in 2025, when Indiana landed Pascal Siakam in a midseason trade. A former champion with Toronto, Siakam brought leadership and playoff poise—culminating in his signature dunk over Chet Holmgren and a commanding presence throughout the series.
Oklahoma City’s rise was just as strategic. Long praised for asset stockpiling, Thunder GM Sam Presti methodically built a war chest of draft picks and invested in player development. The centerpiece was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who emerged as a top-five MVP candidate by 2025. His silky scoring, elite defense, and leadership transformed the Thunder from scrappy to terrifying.
But it was the supporting cast that took them over the top. Chet Holmgren, after a delayed rookie season due to injury, became a game-changing force in the paint. Jalen Williams blossomed into a versatile wing scorer, and Australian point guard Josh Giddey mastered the tempo with his elite passing and rebounding from the guard spot. Their chemistry, forged through years of development rather than shortcuts, made OKC a cohesive, hungry unit.
Both teams shunned superteam shortcuts. Neither lured megastars via free agency nor mortgaged their futures for win-now gambles. Instead, they doubled down on draft development, culture, and high-character players. Their coaching staffs—Rick Carlisle in Indiana and Mark Daigneault in Oklahoma City—provided steady hands, clear identity, and player empowerment.
Now, in the 2025 NBA Finals, they’re locked in a historic battle—not just for a title, but for validation. Game 7 will crown a first-time champion, yes—but it will also showcase the blueprints for sustainable, modern team-building in an age dominated by volatility and star movement.
From 20-win seasons to the grandest stage in basketball, the Pacers and Thunder haven’t just turned things around—they’ve redefined what’s possible.
