OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Game 5 of the NBA Finals nearly mirrored the series opener: the Thunder surged to a commanding lead on their home court, only for the Pacers to claw their way back in the final quarter. But unlike Game 1, this time the ending belonged to Oklahoma City.
Behind a career playoff-high 40 points from Jalen Williams and 31 more from MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder held off another Indiana comeback to claim a 120-109 victory on Monday night, moving just one win away from their first NBA championship.
“We’re learning,” said Williams, who shot 14-of-24 from the field and surpassed his previous postseason best of 34 points.
The dynamic duo of Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander combined for over 70 points for the tenth time this season — but none bigger than in this pivotal Game 5. Gilgeous-Alexander also chipped in 10 assists as the Thunder responded with poise when the game tightened late.
“It wasn’t perfect,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault admitted. “But the progress we made from Game 4 to Game 5 was crucial.”
Indiana’s Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 28 points, and TJ McConnell contributed 18 off the bench. The Pacers, true to their resilient postseason identity, trimmed an 18-point deficit to just two early in the fourth quarter before the Thunder found another gear and put the game out of reach.
“It slipped away from us,” Siakam said. “But we kept fighting.”
That fight, however, now faces daunting odds. Historically, teams that win Game 5 in a Finals series tied 2-2 have gone on to win the championship 74% of the time (23 out of 31). Teams up 3-2 in the Finals overall have prevailed in 82% of those series (40 of 49).
But make no mistake — the Thunder had to earn it.
Indiana, playing without a fully healthy Tyrese Haliburton (who aggravated a leg injury early), again showed why they’ve become known for dramatic playoff rallies. The Pacers have five wins this postseason after trailing by at least 15 points — more than the rest of the league combined.
With Haliburton limited, McConnell sparked Indiana in the third quarter, scoring 13 points in just under seven minutes. Siakam continued the push early in the fourth, cutting the gap to two with a pair of free throws and a deep three-pointer. At that moment, history was on Indiana’s side — until it wasn’t.
Since 1997, Finals teams leading by 15 or more had won 80 of 89 such games. That record is now 81-9 — and it has the Thunder on the brink of a historic achievement.
“That felt just like Game 1 all over again,” Williams said. “But we’ve grown since then. That’s what these Finals are about — learning and getting better.”
One more win, and Oklahoma City won’t just be better. They’ll be champions.
