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Jalen Williams powered the Oklahoma City Thunder to a pivotal 120-109 win on Monday night in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers. Long viewed as the Robin to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Batman, Williams busted out from underneath his more ballyhooed teammate's shadow and carried the baton for the Thunder, scoring 40 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, to pull them to within one win away of their first NBA championship in Oklahoma City history.
Williams is ever a man of the people, and he credited the packed crowd at Paycom Center for giving the Thunder the requisite energy and force that they needed to punch back at every Pacers attempt at a comeback en route to a crucial victory that gave them a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals.
“Typical night for us. Very loud. Extremely loud. It feels like the court is shaking when we're here. They give us that boost we need. Felt like they were standing the whole entire game. They're into the game which is rare for a crowd. But it's just so loud here. It's like deafening. It's definitely a special thing to be a part of Oklahoma and just like the team and how well the fans embrace us. For them to be outside the gate at two, three AM, and greet us and be excited is super dope and super special and something that we're definitely playing for. It's a dope atmosphere,” Williams said in his postgame presser, via @ohnohedidnt24 on X (formerly Twitter).
JDub on the Thunder crowd:
"Typical night for us. Very loud. Extremely loud. It feels like the court is shaking when we're here. It's definitely a special thing to be a part of Oklahoma and just like the team. It's a dope atmosphere" pic.twitter.com/vxQp8lwNUT
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) June 17, 2025
Heading into Game 6, the Thunder, if they want to seal the deal and wrap it up, they will have to win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse — a place that Williams credited for being nearly as loud.
“I think Indy's [home] was that way too. It's been two really cool atmospheres to be in,” Williams added.
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Jalen Williams, Thunder try to wrap things up on Thursday
The Thunder have been trying to prove themselves as more than regular-season merchants all postseason long, and now, they're on the precipice of winning their first title since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008. But the job's not finished. OKC will be getting the biggest haymaker the Pacers can throw, and closing things out on the road is never going to be an easy job — especially against an Indiana team that remains unflappable through adversity.
Williams, however, has become better the deeper the series has gone. And perhaps there is more magic left in his wand after a brilliant Game 5 effort that had him making NBA Finals history.
