Jalen Williams and Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, the duo that leads to Thunder towards the title

ByDavid Mitchell
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      He is a sports journalist since 2001. He began his career at the Clarín newspaper and since 2002 he has been working at the Sportscentr news of AM850. He has covered various basketball events, such as the World Cup in Indianapolis (USA) in 2002, the South American Campos (Brazil) 2004, the pre-world of Santo Domingo (Dominican Rep.) In 2005, the pre-world of San Juan (Puerto Rico) in 2009 and the World Cup in Türkiye in 2010.

Jun 17, 2025, 00:28

Jalen Williams and Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander scored 71 of the 120 points of Oklahoma City in the key triumph of game 5 of the NBA finals against Indiana.

Batman and Robin. Thelma and Louise. John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Maxwell Smart and Agent 99. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Woody and Buzz Lightyear. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. At that level of memorable duos they want to add Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. And in game 5 of the NBA finals in which Oklahoma City Thunder beat 120-109 to Indiana Pacers took an important step. At least, to leave his mark on the history of basketball.

Shai, MVP of the regular season, of the West Conference and a great candidate to also take the award in the finals, had another fantastic match. And as in the two previous games, Jalen Williams, his main partner, shone again. Only this time went further: It was the maximum star of the party, the hero.

Williams put 40 points, to which he added 6 rebounds and 4 assists. SGA scored 31, with 10 assists and 4 caps. Together they were dynamite.

Jalen Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander became the first duo in the history of Thunder with 30 points each in the same match of the NBA finals. Dennis Johnson and Gus Williams did it when the franchise was from Seattle, in game 4 of 1979. The Supersonics won their only title that year. The Thunder also goes for the first.

Williams led Oklahoma City since the beginning of the encounter, with a giant intensity to attack the hoop. And he lit the Paycom Center, the loudest stadium in the League. Shai, on the other hand, was in crescendo. With a quiet beginning, he warmed his hand little by little and was unstoppable in decisive moments.

J-Dub, euphoric to each basket. SGA, Tim Duncan, almost without sketching smiles. The two, with their different styles, led the Thunder to a fundamental triumph. And they hit the door of the story.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams scored or attended 103 of the points of their team, the greatest amount for a duo in the NBA finals in the last 50 years.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams accumulate 291 points between the two in this series, the fourth duo with more points in the first 5 games of the NBA finals from the merger between NBA and ABA in 1977. They are overcome Jordan and Pippen in 1993, with 317 for Chicago Bulls; LeBron James and Kyrie Irving In 2017, with 315 for Cleveland Cavaliers; and Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry In 2017, with 310 for Golden State Warriors. Around those doubles is the one that located Monday to Oklahoma City Thunder to a victory of lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy When placing the 3-2 series.

The Thunder corrected errors, while Haliburton was the great absent in the Pacers

The triples appeared, also the assists. The Thunder corrected the shortcomings of the previous party and affirmed on the road towards the title. Already in the first quarter it had improved in a resounding way in the two aspects: 4 triples converted against the only 3 of the entire game 4 and 10 assists compared to 11 of the entire previous match. These numbers grew to 14 triples (in 32 attempts) and 24 assists.

Indiana Pacers suffered the opaque night of Tyrese Haliburton. The base, team hero in the playoffs, did not find the roads to the hoop. Well defended and with discomfort in the right leg, Hali was difficult to unbalance.

Haliburton, who did not score in the first half, ended the game with 4 points, all from the free line. His launch record was painful: 0 of 2 in doubles and 0 of 4 in triples: in that way, he had the seventh game of his career and the first in playoffs without converting court shots.

Impossible that paers can win a game with such a performance of their star.

The revulsive thrust TJ McConnell in the third quarter and the consistency of Pascal Siakam throughout the game – and in the complete series – they were not enough.

The importance of victory in game 5 of the NBA finals

The triumph in the fifth match of some NBA finals that came matched 2-2 gave the title to 23 teams in 31 series (74% of the time).

Oklahoma City Thunder has a 11-2 record in its history in series to the best of 7 when it takes advantage of 3-2.

The unforgettable performance of the duo Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams left the land to glory for the best team of the whole season. A step is missing, the most important.

They are not fiction superheroes, or fugitive righteousness, or rock stars, or secret agents, or toys with powers. They are two great players who want to emulate duos who marked the history of basketball. And they are on the indicated path.

David Mitchell
David Mitchell

As a passionate sports journalist with over a decade of experience, I strive to uncover the heart and soul behind every game. Supported by a dedicated team of fellow enthusiasts and storytellers, I am committed to delivering insightful and engaging content that connects fans worldwide. Together, we celebrate the victories, challenges, and unifying spirit of sports through every article we craft.