Jalen Williams delivered a playoff career-high 40 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 as the Oklahoma City Thunder took a pivotal 120-109 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
With the series tied 2-2 entering the night, the Thunder now hold a 3-2 advantage and sit one win away from their first championship.
Williams shot 14-of-25 from the field and hit three triples, while Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 assists and went 13-of-14 from the free throw line.
Oklahoma City opened the game strong and built an 18-point lead late in the second quarter, mirroring their hot start in Game 1. But just like the series opener, Indiana responded.
TJ McConnell keyed a third-quarter run, scoring 13 points in a seven-minute span to help the Pacers cut the deficit to five.
Pascal Siakam continued the push in the fourth, converting free throws and hitting a three-pointer to bring Indiana within two at 95-93 with just over eight minutes remaining.
From there, however, the Thunder regained control. Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander combined for 15 points in the final stretch to seal the victory.
Indiana was again forced to compete without a fully healthy Tyrese Haliburton. The All-Star guard, dealing with a lingering leg injury, played just over 34 minutes and was held to four points on 0-of-6 shooting.
Siakam led the Pacers with 28 points, while McConnell added 18 off the bench. Myles Turner chipped in 13 points and six rebounds.
The Pacers managed to shoot 45.1 percent from the field and went 11-of-30 from three, but committed 22 turnovers, many of which came at key moments during Oklahoma City’s late-game surge.
The Thunder, who finished the regular season with the league’s best record at 68-14, now hold the statistical edge. Teams that take a 3-2 lead in a tied Finals have won the series 82% of the time.
Game 6 is set for Thursday night in Indianapolis, where Oklahoma City will have its first chance to close out the series and bring home the franchise’s first NBA title.
