Jalen Williams erupted for 40 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder held off the Indiana Pacers to score a 120-109 victory and move to within one win of clinching the NBA Finals on Monday.
An enthralling game-five battle in Oklahoma saw the Pacers climb out of an 18-point first-half hole to get within two points of the Thunder in the fourth quarter.
But just as Indiana threatened the latest in a series of trademark comebacks, the Thunder found an extra gear with Williams and NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander steering the team to a pivotal victory.
The win leaves the Thunder 3-2 up in the best-of-seven series, meaning they can seal the NBA crown with victory in game six in Indianapolis on Thursday.
Williams finished with 40 points, six rebounds and four assists while Gilgeous-Alexander co-starred with 31 points and 10 assists, four blocks and two steals.
“My team-mates instill a lot of confidence in me to go out and be me,” Williams said. “And (coach) Mark (Daigneault) has done a good job of telling me to just be myself.
“I don’t got to be anything more and that’s given me a lot of confidence.”
Williams said Oklahoma City’s experience in game one — when they blew a 15-point fourth-quarter lead to lose — had helped them close out victory.
“Tonight was the exact same game as game one, to be honest,” Williams said. “Learning through these finals is what makes this team good and we were able to do that.”
After their 18-point lead was cut to 2 early in the 4th quarter…
OKC RESPONDED.
Their definitive 21-8 run has them 1 win from the first title of the franchise’s @okcthunder era 🚨 pic.twitter.com/oDqPyKkyVd
— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2025
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Nate Billings – Pool/Getty Images
