After defeating the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder are now just one win away from securing their first championship in the organization's relatively young history. They did so with the help of a suffocating defense, turning the Pacers over 22 times to the Thunder's 11.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to remind everybody why he was deserving of the Most Valuable Player award, scoring 31 points and tying his playoff career high with 10 assists. However, it was Jalen Williams who stole the show in Game 5.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Jun 16, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) brings the ball up court past Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) during the second quarter in game five of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center.
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sends Jalen Williams message after Game 5 of NBA Finals
Williams was brilliant in the Thunder's Game 5 120-109 win. He scored 40 points in 14-for-25 shooting, 3-for-5 from deep, and 9-for-12 from the free-throw line. His plus-minus of 12 tied Luguentz Dort for the best of the game.
Following the game, Gilgeous-Alexander showed respect to Williams for his outstanding performance and for helping lead the team to a 3-2 series lead.
"He was really gutsy tonight," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "He stepped into big plays. It felt like every time we needed a shot, he made it. He wasn't afraid. He was fearless."
We're used to seeing these types of performances from Gilgeous-Alexander and have seen glimpses of this in past Williams performances. But in Game 5, he put the world on notice that he belongs in the conversation for one of the league's top players and certainly for the league's best duo.
The Thunder will head to Indiana for a Game 6 that's likely the biggest game in the franchise's history. Before this season, the Thunder had made the NBA Finals just once, falling to the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. With Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton compromised by a calf injury, the Thunder will look to deliver the final blow when the two meet on Thursday night.