Thunder Disrespected After Lakers Claim During Offseason
Thunder Disrespected After Lakers Claim During Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Oklahoma City Thunder just capped off a magical postseason run by winning the NBA Championship. The Thunder had only made one appearance in the NBA Finals before this season's trip, but this one ended in the Thunder's favor, hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time in their young history.
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Many believed that the Thunder were the best team in the league, a sentiment that had been held for months. And why not? They finished the regular season third in offensive efficiency and first in defensive efficiency. It also helped that they had the best player in the league on their team in Most Valuable Player award winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) against the Indiana Pacers during the 2025 NBA Finals.Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Thunder disrespected after Lakers claim during offseason
Following the Thunder's win in the NBA Finals, some are already knocking their road to the championship. On Friday's edition of First Take on ESPN, Peter Rosenberg seemingly disrespected the Thunder while talking about how close the Los Angeles Lakers are to contending for a championship.
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"We can all act as if it's impossible that they can get there, but we also just saw the Indiana Pacers take the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games," Rosenberg said. "As great as OKC is, and they are a great team, they were taken to seven games two times throughout the playoffs.
"Did anyone realistically think about the Indiana Pacers challenging and making it to a seventh game for the NBA Finals? So, I'm sorry, no. I cannot rule out a LeBron James and Luka Doncic-led Lakers this year."
While it's not impossible for a Lakers team starring those two players to make the NBA Finals, it feels unlikely based on what we've seen from them. Top-tier talent is clearly there. However, what makes the Thunder so lethal beyond Gilgeous-Alexander is their depth.
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Their depth is what allows them to play as tenaciously on the defensive end because they always have bodies on the bench that can come in and give them real minutes in big games. Former Lakers guard Alex Caruso is the case and point. While they didn't rely on him for his scoring, he was brought in for his defense, which helped shift games at times.
The Thunder return many of this group, and repeating as champions will undoubtedly be on their minds next season.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
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