And in the Pacific Northwest, a fan base may very well be wondering what might have been. With the Finals here, it is a good time to take a look back and revisit how the Seattle SuperSonics found their way to Oklahoma City,

Sam Anderson, a staff writer for The Times Magazine, first wrote about the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012. He is the author of “Boom Town” (2018), a book about the team and the city it calls home.

Winning Game 1 of the NBA Finals does not guarantee anything. The 79th title series in league history — it has been called different names over the years — starts Thursday night, when the Oklahoma City Thunder play host to the Indiana Pacers.