The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the first half of Game 5 with an 18-point lead. However, the Pacers were able to slash the deficit to two points in the fourth quarter, before the ball swung to Jalen Williams on the right wing.
After delivering one of the best defensive performances of this season, powered by a record-breaking 40 points from Jalen Williams, the OKC is now one win away from its first NBA trophy. With the 120-109 win, the Thunder took a 3-2 series lead with 15 steals and scored 32 points off Indiana’s 23 turnovers.
Jalen Williams Continues His Finals Domination
Jalen Williams, a first-time All-Star in his third NBA season, scored a playoff career-high 40 points with six rebounds, four assists, and one steal to lead OKC to another victory. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joined him with an incredible performance of his own with 31 points and 10 assists. This was the tenth time this postseason that these two forwards have combined for more than 70 points in a game.
Williams gave dominant performances throughout the finals, and it was the third straight game in which he scored at least 26 points. However, Williams’s performance was much more crucial on Monday night as he repeatedly halted the Pacers’ efforts to take control of the match.
With just 8:06 minutes remaining on the clock, the Pacers had cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 95-93. Jalen Williams attacked the basket immediately and missed. But Wallace secured the ball again, and it made its way back to Williams on the right wing. Williams drilled a three-pointer to give OKC a five-point lead, followed by a steal from Wallace, and the layup pushed the score to 100-93.
OKC Defense Locks In as Long-Range Barrage Seals Victory
Apart from the key performances by Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, it was the Thunder defense that ultimately won the match. The Pacers’ star Tyrese Haliburton struggled with a calf strain and was unable to summon his usual “crunch-time magic.” Haliburton played for a total of 34 minutes, and OKC’s Lu Dort ensured that he finished with a grand total of zero made baskets and just four points.
Unlike the NBA Finals Game 1, the Thunder forced seven first-quarter turnovers and were able to convert them into points. Overall, OKC scored 32 points off 23 Pacers turnovers. The Thunder also limited their own giveaways to 11, resulting in just nine points for Indiana.
The NBA Finals Game 6 will shift to Indianapolis on Thursday night, with the Pacers trying their best to prevent OKC from winning the championship on the Pacers’ home floor.
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