Jalen Williams poured in a career-high 40 points in a playoff game, leading the Thunder to a 120–109 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night. With the win, Oklahoma City takes a 3–2 lead in the best-of-seven series and moves within one victory of its first championship.
Williams carried the Thunder offense through much of the evening, converting 14 of his 24 field-goal attempts and adding six rebounds. His hot shooting helped Oklahoma City build an 18-point cushion by halftime, but Indiana mounted a spirited rally in the fourth quarter.
After falling behind by as many as 18 in the second period, the Pacers chipped away bit by bit. They trimmed the deficit to two points midway through the final quarter, fueled by back-to-back three-pointers from Tyrese Haliburton and a strong inside presence from center Myles Turner. At that point, the contest hung in the balance.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander answered Indiana’s surge. The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player finished with 31 points and 10 assists, orchestrating several decisive scoring runs and key defensive stops in the closing minutes.
A driving layup by Gilgeous-Alexander early in the last period halted the Pacers’ advance, and he sank two free throws with under a minute remaining to push the lead back to eight.
Discover more from Amebo Media
Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.
