Finals Takeaways: Thunder’s Chaotic Defense Has Pacers On Ropes

The Oklahoma City Thunder are now one win away from their first NBA championship, thanks to a breakout performance from third-year forward Jalen Williams and a defensive effort that made life miserable for the Indiana Pacers’ backcourt.

Williams scored a career-playoff-high 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting in a 120-109 Game 5 win Monday night, giving the Thunder a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals. The 23-year-old added three triples and hit nine of his 12 free throws in 35 minutes.

“That was an unbelievable performance by him, just throughout the whole game,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “He was on the gas the entire night.”

The Thunder got another strong showing from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who delivered 31 points, 10 assists, and four blocks. But Game 5 belonged to Williams — who, on the game’s biggest stage, played like he’s been here before.

Meanwhile, the Pacers, for the first time this postseason, have dropped consecutive games.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Tyrese Haliburton, clearly hobbled by a calf injury and hounded by Lu Dort, missed all six of his field goal attempts and finished with four points and three turnovers in 34 minutes.

T.J. McConnell, often the Pacers’ sparkplug, came off the bench to score 18 points (13 in the third quarter) but played just 22 minutes in total.

Turnovers Take Center Stage

The story of the night wasn’t just Williams. It was Indiana’s 23 turnovers, and what the Thunder did with them.

Oklahoma City turned those miscues into 32 points, including a key 10-0 run midway through the fourth quarter when the Pacers had trimmed the lead to two.

“We were very disruptive defensively,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Kind of had them on their heels.”

The Thunder forced seven turnovers in the first quarter alone and capitalized late.

Indiana coach Rick Carlisle was blunt: “That’s the game. We’ve got to do a heck of a lot better there.”

Haliburton called the turnover total “a recipe for disaster.”

J-Dub Delivers

Williams’ performance was as versatile as it was dominant. He served as secondary creator, clutch shot-maker, and a defensive anchor against Siakam.

“It felt like every time we needed a shot, he made it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “He wasn’t afraid. He was fearless tonight.”

Oklahoma City shot 14-for-32 from 3-point range, a welcome change from Game 4, when it hit just three triples. Aaron Wiggins and rookie Cason Wallace were a combined 7-for-11 from deep, giving the Thunder the spacing they had been lacking.

Point Guard Contrasts

Haliburton insisted on playing despite the injury, but he was clearly limited.

“It’s the Finals, man,” Haliburton said. “If I can walk, then I want to play.”

Carlisle said the team was “concerned at halftime,” but Haliburton wanted to continue. The issue? He couldn’t create the type of pressure that normally fuels Indiana’s pace.

In contrast, McConnell gave the Pacers a boost with his aggression and control in the third quarter. But he sat for much of the final frame, returning only in the closing minutes.

“He was very tired,” Carlisle said. “That’s why we got him out.”

Still, the decision not to ride McConnell longer may loom large if Haliburton continues to struggle physically.

What’s Next

Game 6 shifts back to Indianapolis, where the Pacers have been great for most of the postseason. But with momentum on Oklahoma City’s side, and Williams playing the best basketball of his young career, the Thunder will head into Thursday night with the Larry O’Brien Trophy within reach.

Let the pressure mount.