Jalen Williams delivered a sensational 40-point performance as the Oklahoma City Thunder edged closer to their first NBA title in over four decades, defeating the Indiana Pacers 120-109 in a gripping Game 5 showdown on Monday night. With the win, the Thunder now lead the best-of-seven NBA Finals series 3-2 and can clinch the championship with a victory in Indianapolis on Thursday.
The Thunder’s youthful resilience and star power proved decisive at the Paycom Center. After watching their 18-point first-half lead dwindle to just two in the fourth quarter, Oklahoma City surged ahead again, powered by Williams’ offensive brilliance and the ever-reliable Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“My team-mates instill a lot of confidence in me to go out and be me,” said Williams, who also contributed six rebounds and four assists. “Mark (Daigneault) has done a good job of telling me to just be myself. I don’t got to be anything more and that’s given me a lot of confidence.”
Williams pointed to Oklahoma’s Game 1 collapse — when they squandered a 15-point lead — as a lesson well learned. “Tonight was the exact same game as game one, to be honest,” he said. “Learning through these finals is what makes this team good and we were able to do that.”
Gilgeous-Alexander, recently crowned NBA MVP, matched his co-star with a commanding 31-point outing, alongside 10 assists, four blocks, and two steals. Their late-game composure quashed Indiana’s spirited comeback, which was fueled in part by Pascal Siakam’s 28 points.
However, the Pacers’ hopes were dealt a blow by the recurring injury woes of Tyrese Haliburton. The point guard exited in the first quarter with a right calf issue and returned briefly but could only contribute four points, all from the free-throw line.
“He’s not 100 percent, it’s pretty clear,” admitted Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. “But I don’t think he’s going to miss the next game. We were concerned at half time and he insisted on playing… but there’s a lot of guys in the series that aren’t [fully fit].”
Despite a strong third quarter and a clutch Siakam three-pointer that narrowed the gap to 95-93, Indiana couldn’t complete the comeback. The Thunder closed strong, with Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander combining for 20 fourth-quarter points to seal a crucial win.
Game 6 in Indianapolis now looms as a potential championship-clincher for Oklahoma City, who are just one step away from making history.
