Only One Win Separates Oklahoma from NBA Title
The Oklahoma City Thunder are now just one win away from clinching the NBA championship after defeating the visiting Indiana Pacers 120–109 to take a 3–2 lead in the Finals series.
The Thunder will secure the title if they win Game 6 in Indianapolis early Friday morning.
Jalen Williams was the standout performer for the hosts, scoring 40 points along with 6 rebounds and 4 assists in a game that saw Oklahoma take an 18-point lead into halftime, only for the Pacers to rally back and cut the deficit to just two points in the fourth quarter.
But the Thunder found their closer in Williams, who led the team to this pivotal victory alongside Canadian star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—the league’s regular-season MVP—who delivered a stellar performance with 31 points, 10 assists, 4 blocks, and 2 steals.
For the Pacers, Cameroonian forward Pascal Siakam led the scoring with 28 points, adding 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals. Indiana suffered a major setback when star guard Tyrese Haliburton exited the game in the first quarter due to a right calf issue. Though he later returned, he was clearly limited and finished with just 4 points, 6 assists, and 7 rebounds, still hampered by the injury he sustained in Game 2—another Thunder win, 123–107.
T.J. McConnell contributed 18 points, 13 of which came in the third quarter, while Aaron Nesmith added 14. Myles Turner and Obi Toppin chipped in with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Key Highlights of the Game
Turnovers were a major issue for Indiana, particularly early on, as they gave the ball away seven times in the first quarter alone. A similar collapse occurred late in the game, when they committed four consecutive turnovers with around six minutes remaining—mistakes that led directly to 8 Oklahoma points.
Unlike in previous games, the Thunder found consistency from beyond the arc, hitting 14 of 32 three-point attempts (43.8%), helping ease the scoring load on Gilgeous-Alexander.
Oklahoma took early control in the first quarter, jumping out to a 29–17 lead after Cason Wallace—who finished with 11 points—knocked down his first playoff three-pointer.
A strong defensive effort helped the Thunder neutralize Indiana’s offensive rhythm, while Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander took over, combining for 29 points in the first half.
Two free throws by Gilgeous-Alexander stretched Oklahoma’s lead to 18 points before the Pacers trimmed it to 59–45 by halftime.
Indiana found renewed energy in the third quarter through quick ball movement and McConnell’s spark, outscoring the Thunder 34–28 and cutting the lead to just eight entering the fourth.
Siakam hit a clutch three-pointer with eight minutes left to pull Indiana within two at 95–93, sending tension through the Paycom Center crowd. But that would be as close as the Pacers got. Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander combined for 20 points in the final period to seal the crucial home win, putting Oklahoma one victory away from a historic first championship.
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