Jalen Williams Puts Finals Game Five Under His Name

OKLAHOMA, MONDAY — For years to come, Game 5 of the Finals will be associated with one Jalen Williams. The Oklahoma City Thunder forward had just produced one of the most memorable individual performances in an NBA Finals series, defeating the Indiana Pacers in a must-win game.

Williams had the best night of his career at Paycom Center Stadium, Oklahoma, on Tuesday (6/17/2025) WIB. The 24-year-old star successfully became the hero of the Thunder's victory over the Pacers 120-109 in game five with a contribution of 40 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.

"J-Dub," as he is called, is currently "on fire." Every shot he takes seems destined to score points. He recorded a shooting accuracy of 56 percent, including three successful three-point attempts out of five. This performance led Williams to become the second-highest scorer in Thunder history during the finals.

Williams took over the role of the primary scoring machine from his teammate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points, 10 assists). "He had no fear tonight. He always steps up during big moments. It feels like every time we need points, he can create them," praised Shai.

Remarkably, Williams performed amidst the Pacers' pursuit. The visiting team, trailing by 14 points in the first half, managed to narrow the gap to single digits in the second half. However, the Thunder consistently widened the distance. The Pacers' momentum was repeatedly disrupted by Williams.

At the end of the third quarter, Williams successfully made a difficult shot with three seconds remaining. The Thunder pulled away with an eight-point lead at the end of the quarter. The Pacers managed to narrow the gap to two points, 93-95, in the final quarter with a three-point shot from Pascal Siakam. Williams responded with a three-pointer on the subsequent possession.

Since then, the Thunder continued to distance themselves from the Pacers' pursuit. "J-Dub" contributed a total of 11 points solely from the decisive quarter. "I just wanted to play aggressively as soon as I stepped onto the court. The coaching staff and my teammates helped me to do that. I was able to find my game and the right spots," Williams stated.

Thanks to Williams' magical night, the Thunder successfully leads the final series for the first time against the Pacers 3-2. They need just one more victory to experience their first championship title in the club's history. The trophy can be secured in game six at the Pacers' home, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, on Friday morning WIB.

There have been many moments in the NBA playoffs when a team’s second option has taken over a game. One of them was Klay Thompson, who seemed to be “possessed” during Game 6 of his Golden State Warriors days. He was nicknamed “Game Six Klay.” That nickname will likely stick with Williams for years to come.

However, Williams is not like an eclipse that appears occasionally. He has shown consistency in at least the last three games with a contribution of at least 25 points and 5 rebounds. According to ESPN, he is the first player under 25 years old to create a series of contributions since Shaquille O'Neal in 1995.

The story of the options of both teams became a distinguishing factor in the match earlier. The Pacers were nearly impossible to win when Shai scored more than 30 points and there were other players who exceeded that record. The team coached by Rick Carlisle should have been able to contain one of them.

On the other hand, Pacers forward Siakam (28 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) seemed to be fighting alone. He lost the help of the team's second option, which should have been played by guard Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton scored only four points throughout the game, all of which came from free throws.

Haliburton did not perform as usual due to issues with his calf injury. He had fallen and was holding his calf area. "He is not at 100 percent. I considered pulling him at the end of the first half because he was not moving well. He decided to continue playing in the second half because he did not want to miss the opportunity to appear in the final," Carlisle explained.

Pacers veteran guard T.J. McConnell (18 minutes) provided a spark in the third quarter, filling in for Haliburton. He scored 13 points in a six-minute span. However, the 33-year-old's contributions did not continue in the fourth quarter.

The Pacers' mission to turn the situation around will become increasingly difficult with the uncertainty surrounding Haliburton, who is the team's playmaker. He has contributed an average of 15 points and 7.2 assists throughout the finals. "As long as I can still walk, I will play (in game six)," said Haliburton.

The Thunder defense led by Alex Caruso and Luguentz Dort also deserves appreciation. Their aggressiveness managed to make it difficult for the Pacers players. The Thunder forced the Pacers to make 23 turnovers. The opponent's mistakes were translated into 32 points.

As the sixth game approaches, history favors the Thunder. Conversely, the same cannot be said for the Pacers. There have been three 2-2 situations in the finals series over the past decade. The winner of game five has always managed to emerge as the champion. Interestingly, those three teams have always succeeded in concluding the series in game six. (AP)