OKC Thunder Duo Joins Elite Company in Pivotal NBA Finals Win

After tying the NBA Finals at 2-2 with a dramatic win in Indiana, the Oklahoma City Thunder had the opportunity to take its first lead of the series on Monday night.

To take down a fiesty Pacers team, however, the OKC would need strong performances from multiple players, and the team's two stars answered the call. While Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort knocked down important triples that also helped swing the game, Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were undeniably the best players on the court in Game 5.

Williams scored 40 points while shooting 14-of-25 from the field, adding six rebounds, four assists and a steal while only turning the ball over one time. Williams joins George Mikan, Jerry West, Rick Barry, Magic Johnson and Dwayne Wade as the only players to score at least 40 points during the NBA Finals in their first three seasons in the NBA.

Williams also became the third-youngest player since the merger to score at least 40 points in the NBA Finals, with only Magic Johnson and Russell Westbrook accomplishing the feat at a younger age. Westbrook reached 43 points in a six-point loss to the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the 2012 NBA Finals while playing for the Thunder.

Game 5 also marked Williams' third consecutive NBA Finals game with 25 or more points, joining Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Wade and Shaquille O'Neal as the only players in the last 40 years to accomplish that feat before turning 25-years-old.

Williams wasn't the only player to set records on Monday night, though, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander notched 31 points, 10 assists, two rebounds, two steals and four blocks. Gilgeous-Alexander's performance marked the MVP winners 12th playoff game this season with at least 30 points and five assists, passing Michael Jordan and LeBron James for the most in a single playoff run.

SGA also became the fourth player in NBA history to record 15 30-point outings in one postseason run, joining Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kobe Bryant.

Finally, Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams became the second duo in the last 40 years to score 40 points and 30 points in the same NBA Finals game, joining Irving and James, who accomplished the feat when both played for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams' historic performance has put the Thunder on the doorstep of an NBA title, but the Thunder still have to win one more game to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy.