The Oklahoma City Thunder are now just one win away from clinching their first-ever NBA championship after a thrilling 120-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
While league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the team’s usual go-to hero, it was Jalen Williams who stole the spotlight on this occasion. The forward delivered a *career-high 41-point performance, shooting *14-of-25 from the field and converting 9-of-12 from the free-throw line, firmly establishing himself as a rising star on the game’s biggest stage.
Williams’ Game 5 outburst also marked his third consecutive Finals game with at least 25 points, placing him in elite postseason company and further underlining his growing impact.
Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t far behind in performance, posting an impressive *31 points, 10 assists, and 4 blocks, while shooting *9-of-21 from the floor and hitting 13-of-14 from the line. Bench contributions from Aaron Wiggins (14 points) and Cason Wallace (11 points) helped round out the Thunder’s offensive push, especially as other starters struggled to score in double digits.
On the Pacers’ side, Pascal Siakam led the effort with *28 points on 9-of-15 shooting, while **Tyrese Haliburton, clearly hampered by a lower-leg injury, was limited to just **four points. *T.J. McConnell came off the bench with a valiant all-around performance, recording 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, nearly turning the tide for Indiana.
Additional scoring came from *Obi Toppin (12 points), **Aaron Nesmith (14 points), and *Myles Turner (13 points), but it wasn’t enough to contain a surging Oklahoma City team.
With a *3-2 series lead, the Thunder now head to Indiana for **Game 6, where a win would seal a *historic NBA title for the franchise. All eyes will be on Jalen Williams and the red-hot Thunder as they aim to close out the series in enemy territory.
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