The 2025 NBA Finals had the Western Conference champs, the Oklahoma City Thunder, going up against the Eastern Conference’s surprise team, the Indiana Pacers, in an exciting seven-game showdown. It all came down to Game 7 at the Paycom Centre on June 22, where the Thunder stepped it up in the fourth quarter, winning 103-91. This victory marked Oklahoma City’s first NBA title since the franchise was known as the Seattle SuperSonics back in 1979.

Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander stole the show as he was named Finals MVP after an incredible performance — 29 points, 12 assists, and he pulled off the rare trifecta of scoring title, regular-season MVP, and Finals MVP all in one season. Sadly, Tyrese Haliburton from Indiana went down with an Achilles injury in the first quarter of Game 7, which hurt the Pacers’ chances not just for the final but for the next season.

So, after the NBA finals, there was a video that popped up on r/hockey, and it really grabbed the attention of sports fans. It was a side-by-side comparison of the celebrations of the Florida Panthers and Oklahoma City Thunder after each team won their respective championship titles this past week.

When the Florida Panthers took down the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6, clinching their second Stanley Cup Final ever, the crowd went absolutely wild. You could feel the energy rising with every passing moment. The players started to gather in one spot on the ice, sharing hugs and celebrating together. The atmosphere in the arena was buzzing with energy.

But the NBA finals had a whole different atmosphere. The court was definitely alive with fans cheering in excitement, but it didn’t quite match the energy of the hockey fans.

Just like that, the Thunder, who took home the NBA finals, didn’t huddle up for a big group hug or celebration. Instead, they went straight to shaking hands with the Pacers. As soon as the fans gathered under this post on Reddit, they jumped right into a debate.

Fans weigh in on the differences between the hockey and basketball celebrations

Fans were getting increasingly frustrated with how often the NHL and NBA championship celebrations were being compared. One fan wrote, “Man, I am a diehard hockey fan, but can we please end these ‘my celebration is better than yours’ posts. Different sports, different traditions. Both can be enjoyed.” This fan is really fed up with posts that compare sports, saying, “This s*** is embarrassing. Serious pick me energy.”

Another fan chimed in, saying, “Both sports are great. No reason to compare celebrations to different sports and circumstances.” Instead of creating buzz or bringing in new fans, putting celebrations against one another can feel a bit exclusive or like gatekeeping. The fan suggests that promoting hockey should focus on celebrating its unique qualities rather than putting down other sports, saying, “Who cares? This isn’t the way you draw more people to hockey. Just enjoy both sports.”

This response playfully pokes fun at how everything these days seems to be a competition, saying, “Ah yes, everything must be compared and ranked. My thing is better than your thing, yada yada yada.” It seems like a lot of fans, especially those into hockey, are getting a bit fed up with all the tribalism. They’re really leaning towards a more inclusive and appreciative way of enjoying sports.