Williams, Shai Shine As Thunder Take Control In Game 5

Joel Piton
4 minutes ago
3 min read

by Joel Piton 6/17/2025 FansOnlySportz

In a lopsided Game 5 that felt like a dismantling from the opening tip, the Indiana Pacers fell hard to the Oklahoma City Thunder, losing 120–109 in a game that looked far more one-sided than the score suggests. It was a performance that raised real questions about who the more determined squad is. With the Thunder now holding a 3–2 series lead—and the next two games scheduled in the comfort of their home arena, this NBA Finals might be all but decided. So the question becomes: what went wrong, and what's in the cards for Game 6?

Jalen Williams was the driving force behind Oklahoma City’s offensive onslaught, delivering a performance that validated every bit of his All-NBA Third Team selection. With 40 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists on an efficient 56% shooting, Williams torched the Pacers from both inside and out, breaking down their defense and shaking Indiana’s confidence early. Alongside him, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted a more-than-solid double-double—31 points and 10 assists—and put up a staggering four blocks on the defensive end, making Haliburton's life hell. While the Thunder bench contributed decently, OKC hardly needed to dig deep into their rotation. The Pacers, for their part, showed effort, but they simply looked sluggish, and couldn't get their offense together—and that issue stems from Tyrese Haliburton. In fact, Indiana’s Game 5 collapse is in large part due to the absence of their floor general.

Haliburton finished with just four points—all from free throws—going 0-for-6 from the field and getting stuffed at the rim by Shai in what can only be described as a complete no-show at the worst possible time. Pascal Siakam was the lone bright spot, keeping Indiana within reach with a stat-stuffing 28-point, 6 rebound, 5 assist, 3 steal, 2 block performance. The man was everywhere—but ultimately, it wasn’t enough. Chet Holmgren struggled mightily for OKC, shooting just 4-for-15, and alongside Hartenstein, the duo managed only 13 points. But even with OKC’s frontcourt underwhelming, the Pacers couldn’t capitalize. Siakam dominated his matchup, but Indiana needed Tyrese—and he simply wasn’t there. T.J. McConnell came to play, scoring 18 efficient points off the bench, continuing to be a steady spark all postseason long, but it doesn't look good at all for Indiana when he outplays Haliburton. Meanwhile, Bennedict Mathurin followed up his Game 4 breakout with a cold 2-for-11, 7-point night. The Pacers played with heart, but they were ultimately dismantled by an OKC backcourt that couldn’t be contained.

Game 6 tips off Thursday at 8:30 PM EST, but it’s not looking promising for Indiana. The Pacers couldn’t get it done on their own floor, and now they face two uphill battles on the road to keep their title hopes alive. Simply put—the Hoosiers couldn’t be in a worse position. If Jalen Williams delivers anything close to his Game 5 production, OKC won’t be beaten. The Thunder's backcourt saved them in Game 5, and all signs point to it happening again in Game 6. Can the Pacers claw back and force a Game 7? Or will Oklahoma City complete the job and raise the trophy on their home court? Only time will tell—and you won’t want to miss a second of it. Stay locked in right here at Fans Only Sportz for full coverage of the NBA Finals as we reach the tipping point. We're almost at the finish line. Until next time…