Even though it was the first time in nearly a decade that an NBA Finals went the distance, there were still doubters who called the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers a poor matchup that provided little entertainment buzz. Ratings were cited, even if they were placed in the wrong context.

Don’t tell that to Sam Presti, though. He believes the Thunder’s Game 7 win over the Pacers completed a championship series that true basketball enthusiasts enjoyed. The back-and-forth series saw everything from Game 1 game-winners to Game 4 heroics to Game 5 legacy performances.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opened the door to all-time status as he captured the NBA Finals MVP. Jalen Williams’ narrative completely flipped from unreliable second option to a modern-day Scottie Pippen. Tyrese Haliburton added to his late-game mythos. The Thunder went from a possible colossal disappointment to one of the greatest teams ever.

What stuck out to Presti was the physicality. TV screens don’t do the NBA justice in that regard. If you’re lucky enough to sit up close to an average game, the physicality and effort pop out. You’re seeing 10 gigantic human beings running back and forth at high speeds, similar to car races.

“By the time we got to the Indiana series, the level of physicality and competitiveness by both teams was, I think, probably like — I don’t know if those teams can play harder,” Presti said. “Which is another reason why I think people — hardcore basketball fans really loved that series.”

Three months after the Thunder won the NBA championship, Presti had time to reflect on the historic achievement. The biggest theme of his 2025-26 preseason press conference is to flip the page and move on. They can’t get stuck in nostalgia or risk facing complacency as the rest of the league throws their best punch against OKC.

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I don’t see how you can complain about the 2025 NBA Finals matchup if you saw the series unfold. The Thunder had one of the greatest seasons ever and were the suffocating favorite. But the Pacers got hot at the right time and pushed them to the brink. The storylines were high-quality. Who cares if they were small-market teams? NBA fans have no reason to worry about that or TV ratings.

“It was really about the game and the play on the floor, and it wasn’t about any theatrics or anything outside of the arena of the competition,” Presti said. “Which is really what makes the product what it is and makes it sustainable.”

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Sam Presti believes fans loved the Thunder-Pacers 2025 NBA Finals