OKLAHOMA CITY — The city’s August sales tax revenue check was a whopping 12% higher than one year ago, thanks in part to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“We don’t have all the details to know exactly where all it is — I know utilities also helped us — but clearly the NBA finals had a significant effect,” City Manager Craig Freeman said Tuesday in his sales and use tax report to the City Council.

The August remittance is made up primarily of collections for the last half of June and estimated collections for the first half of July.

The Thunder’s final two home games in their championship series with the Indiana Pacers occurred during that period, as did sales of championship gear once they clinched the title.

Retail comprises the largest percentage of sales tax collections that go

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