Just like in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the Thunder started dominated the entire match until the Pacers roared back in the fourth quarter to steal a win. However, this time around, Jalen Williams wasn’t going to let his opponents rally back, and cemented OKC’s victory with a 40-point performance. 

After beating Indiana 120-109 on Monday night, now Oklahoma City enjoy a 3-2 lead in the Finals and are only one win away from conquering the championship. League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also contributed with 31 points to his name.

“We’re learning,” shared Williams, whose previous playoff record was 34 points. Last night’s display marked the 10th match in which both Thunder superstars combined for more than 70 points in a single contest, as Jalen was 14-0f-24 from the field, and SGA added 10 assists to his tally.

The OKC duo scored or assisted on 103 points, which were the most by any co-stars in an NBA Finals match in the past five decades. “It wasn’t a perfect game at all, and there’s a lot of room for growth,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. “But our improvement from Game 4 to Game 5 was critical.”

On the other side of the court, Pascal Siakam led the Pacers charge with 38 points to his name, while the series shift back to Indianapolis. Teammate TJ McConnell dropped 18 and attempted a clutch comeback. “It kind of went away from us,” Siakam lamented. “But the fight was there.”

Williams acknowledged how similar Monday’s clash was to the first game of the series, but proved that they’ve learned to deal with adversity. “That was honestly the same exact game as Game 1,” Jalen assured. “Learning through these finals, that’s what makes a team good.”

As for Tyrese Haliburton, who almost missed the match due to a sore calf, he returned during the second quarter with a limited production. “It’s the Finals,” he said postgame. “I’ve worked my whole life to be here and I want to be out there to compete, help my teammates any way I can.”

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