3 Takeaways From Thunder's Emphatic Game 5 Win Over Pacers

A strong performance from Jalen Williams pushed the Oklahoma City Thunder to take a 3-2 series lead over the Indiana Pacers.

Jun 16, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) reacts during the second quarter of game five of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The "Jalen Williams game." That's how the Oklahoma City Thunder's Game 5 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals will remembered when the series is looked back several years later.

Just when Oklahoma City needed him most amid an Indiana comeback, Williams arrived to carry the Thunder through to take a critical 3-2 series advantage. Now, the franchise only needs one more win to hoist its first Larry O'Brien trophy.

While he took more a backseat than usual, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander provided 31 points, 10 assists, two steals and four blocks. He struggled with 9-of-21 shooting from the field, but knocked down 13 of his 14 attempts from the charity stripe.

Heading into Indianapolis for Game 6, Oklahoma City has the chance to make history.

Here are three takeaways from the 120-109 win:

The Performance of a Career

On the biggest stage in the NBA — in an important finals game, no less — Williams single-handedly gave the finest performance of his young career.

The forward dropped 40 points, six rebounds and four assists on 14-of-25 shooting from the field in 35 minutes of action. With that, he became the only player aside from Russell Westbrook in Thunder history to score 40-plus points in an NBA Finals game.

Everything clicked for Williams. He knocked down three 3-pointers, got to the basket, excelled in the mid-range and shot 9-of-12 from the free-throw line. Even on the defensive end, he made several big plays that resulted in added points for Oklahoma City.

There were times that Williams has struggled in his second playoff run, but his best game at about the most pivotal point one could ask for. Without his play down the stretch, the Pacers would've been well in the position to continue their momentum and steal another game at Paycom Center.

"Great force," coach Mark Daigneault said on Williams. "That's the word - and we use that word with him in his development, and when he's at his best, he's playing with that type of force. That was an unbelievable performance by him."

Taking Advantage of Haliburton's Off-Night

It's very clear that Tyrese Haliburton isn't playing at 100%, but the guard still played 34 minutes and was available throughout the night. The results were less than ideal.

Haliburton scored just four points on 0-of-6 shooting from the field, along with seven rebounds and six assists. He turned the ball over on three occasions, and the Thunder defense hardly allowed him to move anywhere aside from behind the arc.

With it being such an underwhelming performance from Indiana's leading man, Oklahoma City couldn't afford to drop the game. Even with the injury potentially nagging him moving forward, Haliburton is probably going to score much more than four points in Game 6 and a potential Game 7.

Behind Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder carried out a dominant first half, which made it difficult for the Pacers to get back into the contest. They eventually did, but as soon as Oklahoma City put its foot on the gas pedal again, its lead grew right back.

Don't Worry About Chet

On the surface, Chet Holmgren's nine points on 4-of-15 shooting look worrisome. There's no question he's endured offensive struggles throughout the playoffs, and in particular, the NBA Finals.

But while his offense hasn't been at 100%, Holmgren's defense helped catapult Oklahoma City to getting the win — with or without the boost from Williams. The center grabbed 11 rebounds, including five offensive boards, along with a steal and three blocks.

Holmgren contested a plethora of Pacers shots in the paint, and it didn't matter who had the ball. Throughout the series, he's handled Myles Turner down low particularly well, but even the likes of Pascal Siakam didn't have it easy at the rim.

As the series comes to a close, it would be helpful if Holmgren's offense picked up to what it usually is. At the same time, however, his defense is enough to make a significant impact on the Thunder's ability to win — that's invaluable.

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