NBA Game Notes (June 22, 2025)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on June 22, 2025.

Jun 23, 2025

Three Stars

The three stars in ice hockey are the three best players in a game, with the “first star” considered the best of the three players, similar to the player of the match in other sports. Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games.

First ⭐️

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander produced game highs of 29 points and 12 assists (also a playoff career high) as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacer 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to claim their first championship since relocating from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008. Gilgeous-Alexander added five rebounds, two blocks, and one steal, committing only one turnover in 40 minutes played. He shot just 8-27 from the field (2-12 on threes), but went 11-12 from the free throw line.

Second ⭐️

Chet Holmgren scored 18 points on 6-8 shooting from the floor in the Thunder’s win over the Pacers. Holmgren also grabbed eight rebounds, blocked a game-high five shots, and swiped one steal. He was not charged with a turnover in 31 minutes of action.

Third ⭐️

Bennedict Mathurin came off the bench to score a team-high 24 points and snag a game-high 13 rebounds (also a playoff career high) in the Pacers’ loss to the Thunder. Mathurin shot 6-14 from the field (2-5 on threes) and a perfect 10-10 from the charity stripe. He also swiped a team-high two steals (tied with Aaron Nesmith) in 30 minutes played.

Milestones

Gilgeous-Alexander was named NBA Finals MVP, averaging 30.3 PPG, 5.6 APG, 1.9 SPG, and 1.6 BPG. He’s just the fourth player to win the scoring title, MVP Award, and Finals MVP Award in the same season, joining Michael Jordan (four times), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal.
Holmgren’s five blocks are the most in the Finals in a Game 7 since the NBA began tracking the statistic in 1973-74. The previous mark of four blocks was shared by Marvin Webster (1978) and Kevin Garnett (2010).
The Oklahoma City Thunder won 84 games in the regular season and postseason combined, tying the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for the third-highest such total in NBA history. They trail the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (88 wins) and the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (87).
The Thunder are the seventh different champion in the last seven seasons, a first in NBA history. The previous six winners were the Toronto Raptors (2019), the Los Angeles Lakers (2020), the Milwaukee Bucks (2021), the Golden State Warriors (2022), the Denver Nuggets (2023), and the Boston Celtics (2024).
The Thunder scored 2,638 points in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the highest such total in league history. The previous mark of 2,601 points was set by the Boston Celtics in 1987. The Indiana Pacers also surpassed the previous record with 2,624 points.
The Thunder recorded 75 steals in the 2025 NBA Finals, the most in a single Finals since the league began tracking the statistic in 1973-74. The previous mark of 71 thefts was set by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1977 (in six games).

Streaking

The Pacers’ Pascal Siakam (16 points) has scored in double figures in each of his 40 playoff games with the Pacers, averaging 21.0 PPG on 52.6% shooting from the field. That streak extends to 65 games dating back to his stint with the Toronto Raptors.

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Gilgeous-Alexander paced all scorers last night, netting 29 points. He was followed by Mathurin with 24 points, the Thunder’s Jalen Williams with 20, and Holmgren with 18.
Mathurin was the top board man, hauling in a playoff-career-high 13 rebounds last night. The Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein ranked second with nine boards, while Holmgren placed third with eight.
Gilgeous-Alexander was the night’s leading playmaker, handing out a playoff-career-high 12 assists. The Pacers’ Andrew Nembhard was runner-up, delivering six dimes.