OKC Thunder's Saving Grace in 2025 NBA Finals is a Home Game 7

The Oklahoma City Thunder's saving grace in the 2025 NBA Finals is playing Game 7 at home, where the Thunder are vastly better.

Jun 16, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) and guard Alex Caruso (9) celebrate during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers in game five of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder will play Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals at home, hosting the Indiana Pacers, which could be the Bricktown Ballers' saving grace.

This entire postseason run has featured the OKC Thunder dominating at home. To date, the Thunder are 10-2 inside the Paycom Center in the playoffs and just 5-5 on the road. During the Finals in Oklahoma City, the Thunder have led for 136 minutes and 57 seconds, while the Pacers have led for 2 minutes and 55 seconds. In Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Thunder have only led for 34 minutes compared to the Pacers' 94-minute advantage.

"The crowd is amazing. You're ultimately in your complete comfort zone. The flow to the day doesn't change. You're in your own bed. You have shootaround at your building. You eat your pregame meal from your chef or your whoever. It's very comfortable, the whole flow to the day, and then the crowd is behind you. They give you energy, whether you're up or down or whatever is going on in the night. It's an advantage. It's fun, for sure," NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said Saturday.

In an era where taking the regular season seriously is taboo, the Oklahoma City Thunder buck that trend playing hard for the entire 82-game season –- even after they had the top seed in the Western Conference on ice –– to ensure the best record in the NBA courtesy of a historic 68-win season that sees Game 7 on the NBA Finals taking place in Oklahoma City.

"It's a reward for playing through the regular season that we did, having the depth and the team that we do to win that many games and to be able to have home court. Yeah, I'm excited to play here. No place I'd rather play for a do-or-die game than here," Defensive ace Alex Caruso said at practice ahead of Game 7.

This is the first Game 7 in the NBA Finals since 2016, where LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off the upset against the historic Golden State Warriors. That game alone has a handful of highlight moments that stand the test of time, most notably the chase-down block by James.

Sunday's affair will bring many memorable moments, and the Thunder hopes for the right reasons in Oklahoma City. Playing at home, where the Bricktown ballers are much better, is at least a small boost in such a tense tilt.