Formerly known as Seattle SuperSonics, the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City and was renamed as the Thunder in 2008. The Thunder had a young roster, including the future MVPs Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. They enjoyed playoff success, missing only one playoff in an entire decade. The Thunder dominated the early 2010s, making three conference finals, including one NBA Finals in 2012. Kevin Durant won the 2014 MVP and the scoring title. After Oklahoma City’s loss to the Warriors, despite leading 3-1, a lot of things changed. Kevin Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 free agency, and the team traded for Paul George in 2017. Russell Westbrook had an MVP season in 2017, averaging a triple-double. He formed a dominating partnership with Paul George, taking OKC to three playoffs.
The Paul George trade to the Los Angeles Clippers brought fruitful rewards for the OKC Thunder. They got Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a record collection of first-round draft picks. The 2022 first-round draft pick turned into Jalen Williams. Gilgeous-Alexander became the franchise player after Russell Westbrook was traded and led the rebuild. The OKC’s roster is full of young and skilled players led by SGA. He has formed a trio with Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, and the team’s rebuild was executed to perfection by GM Sam Prestl. They still have loads of first-round picks acquired during trades.
How many championships have the Oklahoma City Thunder won?
The Oklahoma City Thunder has not won an NBA championship as of April 2024. They lost to the Miami Heat in their only NBA Finals appearance in five games. They faced the ‘HEATLES’, consisting of prime LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The Thunder had a young and inexperienced roster, despite that KD and Westbrook showcased their potential.
However, before rebranding to the OKC Thunder, the franchise won the 1979 NBA Finals as the Seattle Supersonics. They defeated the Washington Bullets in five games.
Oklahoma City Thunder Finals Appearance History
Since shifting to Oklahoma City, the OKC have appeared in the NBA Finals once, in 2012. Over the franchise's history, they've appeared in 4 NBA Finals, including three times as the Seattle SuperSonics, in 1978, 1979, and 1996.
What teams did the Oklahoma City Thunder lose the Championship Finals against?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have lost one NBA Finals. They lost to the Miami Heat in five games. LeBron James dominated the series and averaged a double-double, winning the Finals MVP. The series was a close-fought one, as three games were decided by a single-digit difference.
OKC’s young roster was part of a Western Conference which was stacked with Tim Duncan’s Spurs and Curry’s Golden State Warriors. The Spurs made the Finals in 2013 and 2014, the Warriors made the Finals from 2015 to 2019.
Formerly known as Seattle SuperSonics, they lost the 1978 Finals to Washington Bullets in seven games. They lost the 1996 Finals to the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan, in six games.
Oklahoma City Thunder Last Finals Appearance
OKC’s last final appearance came in 2012, when they were defeated by the Miami Heat in five games.
In Game 1, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Miami Heat 105-94. Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 36 points, dominating the scoring, while Russell Westbrook contributed 27 points, guiding the Thunder to a strong start in the series.
In Game 2, despite a valiant effort, the Thunder fell short, losing 100-96. LeBron led the charge with 32 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, guiding his team to victory despite a late surge from the Thunder.
In Game 3, the Miami Heat edged out the Thunder with a 91-85 victory. Despite another strong performance from Kevin Durant, who scored 29 points. LeBron led the Heat with 29 points and 14 rebounds, while Dwyane Wade added 25 points, helping the Heat gain momentum in the series.
In Game 4, the Thunder fought hard but ultimately fell short, losing 104-98 to the Heat. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook showcased their offensive prowess once again, combining for 71 points.
Despite another stellar performance from Kevin Durant in Game 5, who scored 32 points, the Thunder's season came to an end with a 121-106 loss to the Heat.
Also read: Oklahoma City Thunder Playoff History
FAQs on Oklahoma City Thunder.
A. The OKC franchise was founded in 1967.
A. The Oklahoma City Thunder have not won an NBA Finals.
A. The Oklahoma City Thunder have lost to the Miami Heat in their only Finals appearance.
A. Lebron James won the 2012 Finals MVP, he averaged 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists with 1.4 steals.
