NBA Finals: Thunder Near Championship

The Oklahoma City Thunder, led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are just one win away from capturing their first championship. They secured a 120-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 31 points, reaching the 30-point mark for the second consecutive game and tallying his fourth such performance in this final series. However, it was Jalen Williams who shined brightest, scoring an impressive 40 points for Oklahoma City.

On the other side, Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 28 points, adding six rebounds and five assists. Unfortunately for Indiana, their star Tyrese Haliburton struggled tremendously, scoring only four points—entirely from free throws—while missing all six of his field goal attempts.

As the series heads back to Indiana for Game 6 on Thursday, the Pacers find themselves facing elimination. It’s a tense situation, especially with WNBA star Caitlin Clark also in action that night for the Indiana Fever.

Historically, teams that take Game 5 in an NBA postseason series have a 74.2% chance of winning the series, giving Oklahoma a promising edge.