Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams addressed comparisons between the current Thunder squad and the 2011-12 team that reached the NBA Finals, led by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.
Speaking to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel and other media members on Tuesday ahead of Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Williams acknowledged the narrative but said it holds little personal meaning in the context of the team’s current goals.
“It doesn’t do much for me. It’s cool… It’s more of a blessing and a dream come true because I just played Russell Westbrook in the playoffs,” Williams said.
The Thunder are seeking their first NBA championship in franchise history. The 2011-12 team reached the Finals but fell in five games to the Miami Heat. Since then, Oklahoma City has undergone multiple rebuilds, with the current roster led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Williams emerging as a top contender in the Western Conference.
Thunder’s historic season continues with dominant playoff run and Finals split vs. Pacers
This year’s Thunder team has shattered expectations. They finished the regular season with a franchise-best 68 wins and posted the highest point differential in league history at +12.9 points per game. That dominance has extended into the postseason, where they’ve maintained a +10.4 point differential.
In their playoff run, Oklahoma City swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round before surviving a grueling seven-game battle against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals. That series included a notable victory over Russell Westbrook, who returned to face his former team. The Thunder then defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games to return to the NBA Finals for the first time in 13 years.
The Finals opened with a dramatic 111-110 loss to the Indiana Pacers, who pulled off a late comeback punctuated by Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining. Williams finished Game 1 with 17 points, six assists, four rebounds, and a steal on 6-of-19 shooting in 36 minutes.
In Game 2, the Thunder responded with a 123-107 win to even the series. Williams contributed 19 points, five assists, five rebounds, and a steal in 34 minutes while shooting 5-of-14 from the field.
As the series shifts to Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4, Oklahoma City will aim to build on the momentum and recapture home-court advantage. Game 3 is set to tip off Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
The post Jalen Williams gets real on comparisons to 2011-12 Thunder Finals team appeared first on ClutchPoints.
