The Oklahoma City Thunder are one win away from their first championship.
Jalen Williams erupted for a career-high 40 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 as the Thunder rolled past the Indiana Pacers 120-109 on Monday night to take a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals.
Williams was nearly unstoppable from the opening tip, overwhelming Indiana with a blend of power, skill, and relentless energy. He attacked the rim at will, finished through contact, and ignited the home crowd with a series of highlight-reel plays in transition and isolation.
Every time Indiana made a push, it was Williams who answered. He shot 14-of-20 from the field, got to the line consistently, and anchored a defense that gave the Pacers problems all night.
“J-Dub was incredible,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “He played with pace, control, and confidence on both ends.”
The Thunder led by double digits for most of the night, stretching the margin to as much as 16 in the second quarter. The Pacers briefly closed the gap to seven in the third behind a scoring burst from TJ McConnell, but Oklahoma City regained control and never looked back.
McConnell finished with 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench, including 13 in the third. Pascal Siakam added 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting and was Indiana’s most consistent offensive presence, keeping the Pacers within striking distance into the fourth.
But it wasn’t enough.
Gilgeous-Alexander delivered another MVP-level performance with 31 points, 10 assists, 4 blocks, and 2 steals. He drew double-teams throughout the night and punished them with precise passes and timely drives. His 13 free throw makes were a series-high, a reflection of how frequently he broke down Indiana’s defense.
Defensively, Oklahoma City was locked in. The Thunder forced 22 turnovers and turned them into easy offense. Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, and Luguentz Dort combined for 14 steals and played with active hands and sharp rotations all night.
Their work against Tyrese Haliburton was especially impressive. The Pacers guard scored just 4 points and went 0-for-6 from the field. Though he added 6 assists and 7 rebounds, Haliburton never found a rhythm offensively and passed up multiple opportunities to be aggressive. A calf injury sustained early in the game may have played a role, but Indiana will need much more from its floor leader if it hopes to extend the series.
Oklahoma City led 95-93 with just over eight minutes remaining before putting the game away with a dominant closing stretch. Williams buried a tough fadeaway with 3:40 left to push the lead back to double digits, then Gilgeous-Alexander followed with a driving left-handed layup to make it 117-102.
The Thunder fed off turnovers, controlled the tempo, and played connected basketball on both ends. Their defense was physical, their transition game was fast and efficient, and their stars delivered when it mattered.
Game 6 is set for Thursday in Indianapolis. The Pacers must find a way to unlock their offense and reassert Haliburton as a central force. They’ll also have to limit the Thunder’s transition points and find answers for Williams, whose Game 5 performance felt like a star-level breakout on the biggest stage.
“We have to respond,” Siakam said postgame. “We still believe. We’re going to fight.”
The Thunder are now 48 minutes away from a title. If they bring the same intensity they showed Monday night, they might not need any more than that.
Want more like this? Come hang with us here:
:
:
:
:
:Join our newsletter for weekly updates and picks!
