The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, taking a 3-2 series lead and heading back to Indiana for Game 6. Some are shocked that the Pacers have put up this much of a fight after being heavy underdogs entering the series.
The Thunder continue to display their dominance, notching their 10th home win in the postseason, with just two losses. Now, the Thunder are just one win away from immortality and hoisting their first banner in the history of their young franchise.
Bennedict Mathurin
Jun 8, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket past Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) during the first quarter of game two of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center.
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Thunder make NBA Finals history in Game 5
While Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the hero for much of the series, it was Jalen Williams who was the catalyst for the team in Game 5. Williams scored 40 points on 14-for-25 shooting and 3-for-5.
The Thunder made history in Game 5 for their ability to force turnovers. The Pacers finished with 22 turnovers, compared to the Thunder's 11. The Pacers set an NBA record by becoming the first team in NBA Finals history to record 15-plus steals and 12-plus blocks.
They never allowed any of the Pacers' guards to get comfortable, evidenced by the fact that Indiana's star Tyrese Haliburton scored just two points on 0-for-6 shooting. It's crucial to note Haliburton had appeared to aggravate a lower-body injury.
The Thunder employed an interesting defensive strategy down the stretch, assigning arguably their best perimeter defender, Alex Caruso, to Pascal Siakam. While Siakam scored a team-high 28 points, their second-highest scorer was T.J. McConnell. Safe to say, if McConnell is your second-leading scorer, things likely aren't going to work in your favor.