Jalen Williams (40 points) propels Oklahoma City toward NBA title
Jun 16, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) reacts during the fourth quarter of game five of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
The Oklahoma City Thunder took a decisive step toward the NBA title by winning 120-109 against the Indiana Pacers in Game 5. Led by a stratospheric performance from Jalen Williams (40 points) and supported by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points, 10 assists), Mark Daigneault’s team is now just one win away from ultimate glory.
A gala evening for Jalen Williams who impresses the NBA
Jalen Williams‘s performance will go down in the history of this NBA finals. The 24-year-old wing delivered « the perfect game to guide his team to victory, showing aggression near the rim and efficiency from distance, » according to observers present. With 40 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, Williams recorded his best career playoff game at the most crucial moment.
This exceptional performance confirms the meteoric rise of the young player, who was already averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists in the regular season. NBA insiders are unanimous about his potential, stating that « Jalen Williams could have a career like Scottie Pippen, » according to ESPN. A comparison with the Chicago Bulls legend that demonstrates the remarkable two-way impact of the Thunder player.
Jalen Williams 🔥⚡️
40 POINTS
6 REBOUNDS
3-5 3PThe @OKCThunder wins 120-109 in Game 5 and now leads 3-2 pic.twitter.com/lZ7Mu636w3
— NBA France (@NBAFRANCE) June 17, 2025
Thunder maintains control despite Pacers’ resistance
Oklahoma City dominated most of the game, leading by up to 18 points thanks notably to valuable contributions from Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace, who shot a remarkable 3/4 from three-point range in the first half. Isaiah Hartenstein also proved « crucial during Thunder’s successful start. »
However, the Pacers refused to give up despite their leader Tyrese Haliburton’s struggles, limited to 4 points (0/6 shooting) after a nasty fall early in the game. TJ McConnell and Pascal Siakam took over with 18 and 28 points respectively, allowing Indiana to come within 2 points (95-93) with eight minutes remaining.
It was finally in crunch time that Jalen Williams made the difference, « stringing together a layup and a Michael Jordan-like step-back to seal the deal. » The Thunder will now travel to Indianapolis with their first match point, while the Pacers must absolutely win on Thursday to stay alive in this thrilling NBA finals.
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