Thunder vs Pacers grades: Jalen Williams, Red Panda steal the show in NBA Finals Game 5
The Thunder withstood a late Pacers push, winning Game 5 120-109 on Monday night in Oklahoma City to take a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals.
The Thunder can close things out Thursday in Indianapolis.
Let's get to the Game 5 grades:
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MUSSATTO: How can Thunder lose these NBA Finals when it 'feels like the court is shaking'?
Mark Daigneault likes when his guys have their 'foot on the gas.' Well, Jalen Williams was flooring it in Game 5.
J-Dub was the Thunder's MVP Monday night.
He scored 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting. He had six rebounds and four assists.
Williams' 3-pointer with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter was the biggest shot of the game. The Pacers had just cut OKC's lead to two points on a Pascal Siakam 3-pointer, and Williams matched it 24 seconds later to put the Thunder back up by five.
— Joe Mussatto, columnist
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Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams (8) celebrates a basket in the first half of Game 5 of the NBA basketball finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Monday, June, 16, 2025.
3-point shooting: A
There have been some stinkers from behind the arc in these playoffs, but Monday was not one of those nights.
The Thunder hit 14 of 32 and got 3s from five players. Aaron Wiggins led the way with four while Jalen Williams, Lu Dort and Cason Wallace had three apiece. Chet Holmgren hit one from deep, too.
Shooting 43.8% from 3-point range is a good night regardless, but doing that three days after shooting 18.8% was quite the turnaround. In Game 4, the Thunder managed only three 3-pointers total.
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—Jenni Carlson, columnist
CARLSON: How is OKC Thunder one win from an NBA title? 'Always starts defensively'
Cason Wallace: A
Imagine the relief Cason Wallace must have felt when his first 3-point attempt dropped. The euphoria that must have followed his second. And his third …
After going a combined 0 of 8 from 3-point range in Games 1 through 4 of these NBA Finals, Wallace was 3 of 4 from behind the arc in Game 5.
Wallace's steal and transition slam early in the fourth quarter was among the biggest plays of the game.
The NBA Finals lights had seemed a little bright for the 21-year-old guard in his second NBA season. Understandably so. But with the home crowd behind him, Wallace seemed to have regained his confidence in Game 5.
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— Joe Mussatto, columnist
5 TAKEAWAYS: OKC Thunder nears first title after dominating NBA Finals Game 5 vs Pacers
Defending Tyrese Haliburton: A+
Tyrese Haliburton didn't score a basket. The Pacers star finished 0 of 6 with seven rebounds, six assists and three turnovers. All four of his points came at the foul line.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported at halftime that Haliburton was dealing with calf tightness in his leg. A fully healthy Haliburton had his hands full against this Thunder defense. A hobbled Haliburton had no chance.
Haliburton only attempted one shot in 17 second-half minutes.
Haliburton was a no-show Monday, and his health will be a huge factor in Game 6.
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— Joe Mussatto, columnist
More: NBA Finals Game 5 results, highlights: Thunder pounds Pacers to move to brink of title
The smallest guy on the court was a big ol' problem for the Thunder.
He scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the third quarter and infused the Pacers at a time when they could've wilted. McConnell, who is only 6-foot-1, used his quickness and relentlessness to get in the lane and to the spots that he wanted.
Through three quarters, McConnell had a team-high 18 points.
But in the fourth quarter, the Thunder managed to cool him off a bit, limiting him to one shot but no baskets. He also had only one assist plus one turnover.
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—Jenni Carlson, Columnist
More: Thunder did some things to Pacers in NBA Finals Game 5 'that aren't survivable': Reaction
Red Panda performs during halftime of Game 5 of the NBA basketball finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Monday, June, 16, 2025.
The greatest halftime act in the history of halftime acts graced Oklahoma City with her presence Monday, and even though it was long overdue — I mean, why wait until Game 5 of the NBA FInals?!?! — she was dazzling.
Red Panda, the unicycle-riding, bowl-flipping marvel, was on top of her game. She caught each and every bowl that she flung from her outstretched leg onto her head. (Did we mention she does all of this while riding a unicycle that she gets on by climbing an extremely tall ladder?)
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Some have said Red Panda is slipping.
Pfffft.
If that's slipping, I want to be Red Panda when I grow up — but minus the extremely tall unicycle. I'm scared of heights.
—Jenni Carlson, columnist
More: NBA Finals Game 5 box score, stats: Jalen Williams, Thunder beat Pacers, move to brink of title
Forcing turnovers: A+
This was classic Thunder defense in how it feasted off turnovers. Twenty-two turnovers, that is, for the Pacers.
The Thunder outscored the Pacers 32-9 in points off turnovers, which was more than the difference in the game.
Pascal Siakam had a game-high six turnovers. Every Pacers starter except for center Myles Turner committed multiple turnovers.
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— Joe Mussatto, columnist
More: Sam Anderson in OKC for Thunder in NBA Finals: 'Boom Town' author reflects on book, city
Inbounds plays: D
They weren't the unmitigated disaster that they were in Game 3, but the Thunder is still struggling to get the ball inbounds.
Pacers pest TJ McConnell didn't come up with any thefts, but two of his teammates did.
Obi Toppin intercepted a bad Chet Holmgren pass late in the third quarter; the Thunder lucked out because the Pacers didn't capitalize on the mistake, turning the ball over themselves. But a few minutes later, Pascal Siakam picked off an inbounds pass from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Holmgren and took it the length of the floor for an uncontested bucket.
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To have such a problem with a fundamental part of the game in the NBA Finals?
Unacceptable.
The Thunder needs to get this figured out. Josh Giddey ain't walking through that door.
—Jenni Carlson, columnist
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: NBA Finals Game 5 report card: Jalen Williams, Red Panda steal show

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