BREAKING: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Makes NBA Finals History in Thunder-Pacers Game 5
The Oklahoma City Thunder were at home on Monday night as hosted the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Oklahoma City entered the game looking to use home court to their advantage to take complete control of the series with a victory.
That is exactly what they were able to do as the Thunder were able to use a dominant defensive performance to grab the 120-109 victory.
While Oklahoma City’s defensive was the headline in the game, the Thunder also saw their star duo of Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander both put together historic performances.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) and forward Jalen Williams (8)
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Williams ended the game with a playoff career-high 40 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists.
For Shai, he recorded 31 points, two rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and four blocks in the victory.
With his performance, Shai also made NBA Finals history as he became the first player to record 30 or more points, 10 or more assists, four or more blocks and two or more steals in an NBA Finals game.
This is an incredible feat by Shai and one that does not come as a surprise as he has put together a historic season that saw him win his first MVP award.
Of course, Shai has been a key part to Oklahoma City’s success this season and that has continued into the playoffs as he has led the Thunder to being just one win away from winning the championship.
Jun 8, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket past Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) during the first quarter of game two of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center.
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
While Shai has led the way for the Thunder this season, the rest of their roster also deserves a ton of credit, especially after the team’s performance on the defensive end in Game 5 on Monday, which helped propel them to a 3-2 series lead.
Shai and the Thunder will now head to Indianapolis for Game 6 on Thursday as they try to close out the series with a victory and win the franchise’s first championship since relocating to Oklahoma City.