TheOklahoma City Thunderare your 2025 NBA champions. Well, not officially. Officially, they are just the2025 Western Conference champsafter eliminating theMinnesota Timberwolvesin a five-game conference finals. But you know where this is headed. The Thunder were the best team during the NBA's regular season. They won the Western Conference in dominating fashion. Game 5 was a demolition – a124-94Thunder victory that left no doubt. ANTHONY EDWARDS:Timberwolves star struggles against Thunder MORE:Karl-Anthony Towns injury update: Knicks center questionable for Game 5 They can play the opponent's best style and play it better. Go big, go small, go deep into your bench, win with offense, including the 3-pointer, win with defense and win with stars, the Thunder can do it better than any team in the league. Sorry Indiana. Sorry New York. It's just not your year. Oklahoma City is in the Finals for the first time since 2012 and is in terrific position to win the franchise's first title since 1978 when it resided in Seattle and was called the SuperSonics. While sweeping proclamation can be imprudent endeavors, there is no reason to believe the Thunder won't be NBA champions within the next few weeks. Everyone can see it. The Thunder don't want to hear that, and they shouldn't. Before Game 5, coach Mark Daigneault talked about staying in the present. That is the right thing to say and the right thing to do. What's in front of you in that second is the most important thing. Reaching a goal is a series of accomplishments that requires meticulous focus. They've been headed for this moment for seasons and the grand plan – building another contender through the draft, trades and free agency – has come to fruition. OPINION:NBA's cycle of superteams has been dismantled. Owners wanted parity and got it. Before this season, this group had not won more than one series, and despite the No. 1 seed last season, they lost in the second round. They bypassed some growing pains in this season's playoffs, learning lessons in real time and figuring out how to finish off games and close out series. For a squad that had never won a conference finals closeout game, the Thunder answered any lingering questions about resolve. Their top-ranked defense slowed Nikola Jokic in the conference semifinals and put the brakes on Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle in the conference finals. Daigneault and his coaching staff develop and gameplan, and they have the defenders to execute it whether it's taking away Jokic's passing lanes or double-teaming Edwards. If there was any doubt about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP – and there shouldn't have been any – he erased any uncertainty. It was an MVP performance, and in Game 5, he had 34 points, eight assists and seven rebounds – it was his seventh game with at least 30 points in his past eight. He had a playoff career-high 40 in Game 4 and averaged 31.4 points and shot 45.7% for the series and earned the Western Conference finals MVP. The Thunder are far from a one-man show. Jalen Williams made his first All-NBA team this season, and Chet Holmgren is headed for an All-Star appearance with his ability to score, rebound and protect the rim. Williams had 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal, and Holmgren had 22 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Lu Dort played outstanding defense, and center Isaiah Hartenstein was a shrewd offseason signing that has added to Oklahoma City's versatility. Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Kenrich Williams and Jaylin Williams give Daigneault more options. It is a team that has 2025 NBA champions written all over it. Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media@JeffZillgitt This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Thunder will be NBA champions. Sorry Pacers, Knicks.
