Thunder guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams are now the fourth-highest scoring duo through the first five games of an NBA Finals series with 291 total points.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 13: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 and Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate during the first half of game five of the Western Conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets at Paycom Center on May 13, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams etched themselves onto an elite playoff scoring list in the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s Game 5 win in the 2025 NBA Finals. With a combined 71 points, they now rank fourth in scoring amongst two teammates through the first five games of a Finals series.
Their 291 total points rank behind the duos of Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry scoring 310 in 2017, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving going for 315 in the same year, and Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen combining for 317 in 1993.
The Thunder are one win away from their first NBA championship in franchise history after beating the Indiana Pacers on Monday night. With their 18-point lead in the second half erased down to just two, Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams combined for 20 points in the fourth quarter to walk away victorious.
Williams’ Historic Game 5 For The Thunder
Williams’ playoff career-high 40 points on Monday night also ranked amongst the highest-scoring performances by a player of his age. The 24-year-old is the third youngest player to score at least 40 points in a Finals game, behind just Magic Johnson in 1980 and Russell Westbrook in 2012.
Williams’ scoring has only increased in each game of the 2025 NBA Finals. His three straight 25+ point games make him the first player younger than 25 to hit that mark since Shaquille O’Neal did it in the 1995 Finals. He is also the first player born after the year 2000 to score 40 points in a playoff game.
“When he’s at his best, he’s playing with that type of force,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said after Game 5. “That was an unbelievable performance by him, just throughout the whole game. He really was on the gas the entire night. Applied a ton of pressure. (I) Thought he made a lot of the right plays.”
Williams is averaging 25.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists through the first five games of the NBA Finals. He earned All-NBA third-team and All-Defensive second-team honors during the regular season and has elevated his play during these playoffs for Oklahoma City.
“I’m just out there being aggressive,” Williams said after the game. “Like I said, I have a staff and teammates that allow me to do that, figure out my game and just figure out spots where I can try and be dynamic.”
SGA’s Consistency Ranking Amongst The Best
Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31 points in Game 5 cemented his run as the highest-scoring point guard in a single postseason. His 15 30+ point games in these playoffs also rank behind just Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to hit that mark.
The 2025 MVP now has 12 games in these playoffs with at least 30 points and five assists, sitting atop a list featuring both Jordan and James. His 15 total games with at least 30 points put him alongside Kobe Byrant, Olajuwon, and Jordan with that postseason scoring consistency.
“I was just out there trying to affect winning, trying to make a basketball play, trying to help the team win,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after being told he now ranks amongst the league’s greatest scorers for his latest performance. “It’s cool I guess, but I’m focused on one thing and that’s winning one more game.”
Williams became a first-time All-Star this season, while Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in scoring and won the MVP award. During these playoffs, the duo has combined for an average of 52.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 11.5 assists, and 3.2 steals in 21 postseason games.
Game 5 marked the 14th time in Finals history that two players scored 40 and 30 respectively. Los Angeles Lakers legends Jerry West and Elgin Baylor combined for half of the occasions during the 1960s. James and Irving were the latest duo to accomplish the feat, doing so in both 2016 and 2017.
The Thunder are one win away from hoisting the NBA championship. It would be the team’s first since they arrived in Oklahoma City, and mark the seventh year in a row that the NBA has seen a non-repeat champion.