Oklahoma City (AP) – The dedicated fans of Oklahoma City finally experience Celebrating the championship after enduring numerous near misses and gut-wrenching moments over the last two decades.
On Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder triumphed over the Indiana Pacers Clinch NBA titles, leading to a parade on Tuesday to honor the city’s first major professional championship. Final MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams, and their teammates will parade through downtown for an event slated to last 90 minutes.
Oklahoma City first embraced an NBA team in the 2005-06 season when the New Orleans Hornets relocated temporarily following Hurricane Katrina. The fans quickly grew fond of the team and a young point guard named Chris Paul, who was named Rookie of the Year.
In 2008, the Seattle Supersonics relocated to Oklahoma City, and fans passionately rallied behind the team despite some initial setbacks. The Thunder formed a competitive squad featuring young stars Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.
Despite this talent, breakthrough success eluded them. They fell to the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals, and Harden departed for Houston. The 2013 season was hindered when Westbrook was sidelined during the playoffs. The 2015-16 team had a 3-1 lead over the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals but ultimately lost the series in seven games.
After that season, Durant chose to join the Warriors, signaling the end of that era for the Thunder. Westbrook went on to become the league MVP in 2017, achieving triple-doubles for three consecutive seasons, yet the Thunder struggled to advance beyond the first round.
However, with a new roster of superstars, Oklahoma City has finally found its moment in the spotlight.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Source: apnews.com