Oklahoma City Thunder star forward Jalen Williams erupted for a playoff career-high 40 points during Monday’s 120-109 Game 5 NBA Finals home victory over the Indiana Pacers. After leaving it all on the court, the third-year player went viral for a humorous six-word postgame comment.
Williams and his co-star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander combined for 71 points as OKC held off a feisty Indiana squad playing with a hobbled Tyrese Haliburton (leg). The Thunder led by as many as 18 points in the second quarter before the Pacers chipped away, trimming their deficit to 95-93 with 8:31 remaining.
However, unlike during its Game 1 collapse, OKC responded, overcoming 14 fourth-quarter points from Indiana star forward Pascal Siakam to secure a 3-2 series lead.
Jalen Williams Quips About Fatigue Following Game 5 NBA Finals Win
After OKC pulled away for its Game 5 victory, Williams sat down for an interview, visibly exhausted and at a loss for words. The one-time All-Star, who shot an efficient 14-for-25 (56.0%), comically acknowledged his fatigue to the postgame crew.
“Sorry, I’m tired, to be honest,” Williams said.
JDub after dropping 40: “Sorry I’m tired to be honest” pic.twitter.com/6iACaaUjg6
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) June 17, 2025
The viral moment came after Williams quipped in his walk-off interview that he wasn’t aware that Indiana cut his squad’s lead to two points in the fourth quarter. Nevertheless, he took the opportunity to credit the Pacers, who have come back from 15-plus-point deficits to win five times this postseason, for their continued resiliency.
“Like I said, that’s a really good team over there,” Williams said. “You just don’t trip into the finals, you know what I mean? So, they’re really good about doing the same thing we do, staying the course, and we have to stay the course as well during their runs, and we did a good job of that.”
Williams Likens Thunder’s Game 5 Win to Team’s Game 1 Letdown
Williams also drew parallels between Game 5 and OKC’s 111-110 Game 1 home loss to Indiana, in which it blew a 15-point fourth-quarter lead. According to the 2025 All-NBA third team selectee, his young team has continually learned from its setbacks amid its finals run.
Jalen Williams postgame interview on the court, after OKC win game 6 and go up 3-2 in the series vs. the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals pic.twitter.com/uDd9E8K8bj
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) June 17, 2025
“We’re getting opportunities to repeat and grow through our experience. That was honestly the same exact game as Game 1, to be totally honest,” Williams said. “So, learning through these finals, that’s what makes a team good, and I thought we were able to do that.”
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The Thunder can capture the NBA championship during Thursday’s Game 6 showdown in Indiana. Williams will look to stay hot after scoring 25-plus points in a historic three straight finals outings.
