Jalen Williams Breaks Out as Thunder Take 3–2 Finals Lead Over Pacers

-



The Oklahoma City Thunder are now one win away from their first NBA title since 1979 after defeating the Indiana Pacers 120–109 in a pivotal Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Fueled by a career night from Jalen Williams and a signature performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder are firmly in control heading back to Indiana.

This breakdown is pulled from Episode 35 of Harrison Talks Pod, tune in for full reactions, deep dives on the Desmond Bane trade, and thoughts on whether the Orlando Magic may have overpaid.
👉 Listen now

Jalen Williams Drops 40 in a Statement Game

Let’s get this out of the way, Jalen Williams delivered one of the best second-option performances in Finals history.
He finished with 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting (56%), showing poise, physicality, and shot-making across all levels.

In the fourth quarter, when the Thunder had collapsed in Game 1, JDub took over. He didn’t just keep OKC afloat, he slammed the door on Indiana. His footwork, shot selection, and confidence were elite.

SGA Continues His Finals Masterclass

While JDub exploded, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played the perfect co-star:

  • 31 points

  • 10 assists

  • 13-of-14 from the free-throw line

Even without a made three, SGA controlled the pace, fed shooters early, and iced the game late. He and JDub combined for 71 points, their 10th 70+ point game as a duo this season, and arguably the most important.

SGA remains the quiet superstar, calm, deadly, and always in control.

Haliburton’s No-Show Hurts the Pacers

The story of the night for Indiana was Tyrese Haliburton’s ghost performance:

  • 0 points from the field (0-6 FG)

  • Just 6 shot attempts

  • Visibly hesitant and passive all game

Whether he’s still battling injury or simply lost rhythm, this kind of night just doesn’t cut it in the Finals. And yet, Rick Carlisle stuck with him in crunch time, which leads us to...

McConnell Ignites… Then Gets Benched

T.J. McConnell came off the bench and poured in 13 points in the 3rd quarter, almost single-handedly leading a 34–28 Pacers run.
He brought speed, control, and edge when Indiana needed it most.

Then he vanished.

Carlisle returned to Haliburton in the 4th, leaving McConnell iced until late in the game. That decision may have cost Indiana the win.

Lu Dort: Defensive Player of the Series?

Lu Dort has been an absolute menace all series long. In Game 5, he added:

  • 2 steals

  • 8 rebounds

  • 3 clutch threes in the second half

Whether he’s locking up Haliburton, pestering Mathurin, or banging bodies with Siakam, Dort’s physicality has disrupted Indiana’s rhythm and added toughness to OKC’s identity.

Key Stats: Thunder’s Edge on Both Ends

  • OKC 3-point shooting: 43.8% (14-of-32)

  • Pacers 3-point shooting: 36.7% (11-of-30)

  • Turnovers forced by OKC: 22 → led to +11 in points off turnovers

  • Mathurin: 2-of-11 FG, couldn’t finish through contact

The Thunder again outshot and outworked Indiana. And it shows on the scoreboard.

Game 6 Outlook: Do or Die for Indiana

History is on OKC’s side, 82% of teams who win Game 5 of a tied NBA Finals go on to win the series.
The Pacers return home, but questions remain:

  • Will Haliburton be healthy and aggressive?

  • Will Carlisle trust McConnell in the clutch?

  • Can the Pacers slow down JDub and SGA?

One thing’s clear: if OKC brings the same energy and defense, this series might not see a Game 7.

🎧 Listen to the Full Breakdown on Harrison Talks Pod

👉 Episode 35 includes this full Game 5 breakdown, plus my thoughts on the Desmond Bane blockbuster trade to the Thunder and why I think the Magic may have overpaid in the offseason.

🎙️ Listen now on Harrison Talks Pod

📣 What do YOU think?

  • Is Jalen Williams a Finals MVP candidate?

  • Should TJ McConnell get more 4th-quarter minutes?

  • Will the Thunder close it out in Game 6?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Top 3 Rookie of the Year Candidates in the NBA: Who Will Take the Crown?

-
Image
The NBA season is in full swing, and the race for Rookie of the Year has been heating up! With some incredible talent emerging from this year’s rookie class, it's harder than ever to pick just one standout player. As we near the end of the season, three rookies have separated themselves from the pack. But who truly deserves to win the coveted title of Rookie of the Year? Let’s break down the top three contenders and what makes them shine—and why they might not finish the season with the award. This discussion comes from Episode 18 of my podcast, Harrison Talks Pod , where I dive deeper into these top rookie candidates. Make sure to check out the full episode for more in-depth analysis and insights on all things NBA! Listen to Episode 18 here 1. Stephon Castle: The Rising Star for the Spurs Recent Takeaways: Steph Castle has taken the NBA by storm, and as of this week, he’s leading the Rookie of the Year race. His scoring has increased dramatically in the last 10 games, up to 17.4 p...
Read more

Dark Money, Media, and Online Creators: Parsing the Chorus Controversy

-
Image
Recently, there’s been significant online discussion about the “Chorus Creator Program,” a mentorship initiative funded by the 1630 Fund, a nonprofit with progressive donors. Critics, including Taylor Lorenz in Wired , framed it as a secretive program paying creators to stay silent on Israel and enforcing a partisan line. After reviewing the reporting and responses from creators, this framing is misleading and reflects a broader problem in online media: weaponizing “dark money” to create controversy while omitting critical context. What Chorus Actually Is The Chorus Creator Program, founded by Brian Tyler Cohen and Stuart Perelmuter, was designed to support smaller creators by pairing them with more established ones. Public statements from participants make it clear that mentorship, not content production, was the program’s primary goal. There were no required deliverables, and creators were not censored. For example, David Pakman, a progressive YouTube creator with millions of monthly...
Read more

Damian Lillard’s Injury Could End the Bucks' Championship Window | What Comes Next for Milwaukee?

-
Image
Damian Lillard’s devastating Achilles injury changes everything for the Milwaukee Bucks. With playoff elimination looming, we break down how the Bucks' future looks, and why massive changes could be coming. Damian Lillard's Achilles Injury: A Franchise-Altering Moment for the Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks were already battling adversity in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but Damian Lillard’s likely torn Achilles might be the final blow. After dealing with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his other leg earlier this season, Lillard’s playoff injury couldn’t have come at a worse time. Despite fighting through setbacks, his body gave out, and it’s heartbreaking for fans, teammates, and especially Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been publicly supportive of Lillard’s toughness all year. At the time of Lillard’s injury, the Bucks trailed the Indiana Pacers 3–1, and momentum had already swung hard against Milwaukee. Without their All-Star point guard, the Bucks' offense looked disorganized and ove...
Read more