Jalen Williams guided the Oklahoma City Thunder to a crucial win in Game 5 of the NBA Finals over the Indiana Pacers.
Williams put up 40 points, outscoring MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander by nine, as the Thunder secured a 120-109 victory at home.
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Mark Daigneault’s squad had built an 18-point lead before the Pacers clawed back, cutting it down to just two points.
Indiana has been a strong fourth-quarter team throughout these playoffs, something they showed again in Game 1, when they erased a big deficit to beat the Thunder.
After Game 5, Williams shared what Oklahoma City did differently this time around to make sure history didn’t repeat itself.
Jalen Williams thinks Oklahoma City handled things much better in Game 5 compared to Game 1.
Williams said it’s normal to get tight when the other team starts making a push, and that’s what cost the Thunder in the series opener.
This time, he felt the team kept their composure. Head coach Daigneault had pushed his players to grow from that earlier loss, and Williams believes they did just that.
“It was a good test for us,” Williams said. “If you really look back at Game 1, this was around the same type of game. They started playing fast and made a run. We understood that.
“Mark has been big on us about growing through the experiences. You never want to be the same, no matter what game it is in the NBA finals. We were able to get better through those and not panic.”
“In Game 1, we kind of panicked, I wouldn’t say panicked, but you know, when you get up and somebody is making a run, human nature is to slow down and try not to be aggressive.”
“Today, we did a good job of playing with force and continuing to play the game and waiting for our run too.”
Chet Holmgren on Jalen Williams’ 40-point game
Chet Holmgren said he was “impressed” by Williams’ 40-point night, even if it didn’t “surprise” him.
“Man, he was special. He was special. It’s a one-word summer. He was special,” Holmgren told Scott Van Pelt.
“Like you said, this is the biggest stage. But, it doesn’t matter where he’s at. He’s special. That’s dub. That’s what we see all year. It doesn’t surprise me, but I’m still impressed by it.”
Throughout the NBA Finals, Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander have carried a lot of the scoring load for the Thunder, especially since Holmgren hasn’t been at his best on offense.
The rookie big man finished with just nine points in Game 5, although his defense continues to make an impact.
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