Oklahoma City Thunder Bended the resistance of the Pacers (120-109) led by A Hasted Williamswhich formed a lethal duo with el insaciable Shai Gilgeous-Alexander To leave your team to a victory (3-2) of his first NBA champion ring. Now they will have Opportunities for coronersE, the first in the early morning from Thursday to Friday in the Gainbridge Fieldouse of Indianapolis (2.30 h). And the second, if they lose, at dawn from Sunday to Monday in the Paycon Center in Oklahoma (2.00 h).
The history of the finals says that The team that is 3-2 in the series ends up winning 85% of the time either in six or seven games. And if the Thunder show such an excellent defensive level as in the fifth game and its two offensive engines, Jalen y Shaithey continue to produce so unbalanced, It will be very difficult for them to escape the ring. Although they would do badly to trust some Pacers that never surrender and always return to life no matter how bad things paint for them.
Losses ruin Indiana's comeback
They demonstrated it again After tracing 18 points to the Thunder (from 56-38 to 95-93), But this time there was no miracle. Victims of their losses fell (22)six of them in the last act and four in a row at the decisive moment of the party They were condemned. It was a demonstration of brutal defensive power of Oklaholafirst team in history that in some endings Sign at least 15 ball robberies and 12 caps.
The Thunder won the meeting With its defensive fierceness And, of course, with The offensive success of their stars, two fine stylists who combined to score 71 of the 120 points of their equipo (59.1%). Jalen Williams, accustomed to living in the shadow of Shai's brightness, exchanged the papers with the Canadian MVP and dazzled with 40 points (11/20 T2, 3/5 T3 and 712 TL), 6 rebounds and 4 assists. in the best game of his career in some playoffs.
Y Shai He did not leave him, with 31 points (9/18 T2, 0/3 T3 and 13/14 TL), 2 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 robberies and 4 capsbecoming the first player in the history of the finals that signs a statistical combination as well and The first since 1974 that makes at least 30 points, 10 assists and 4 caps. Both were not alone. Chet Holmgren ended with a double-double (9+11) and the alternates Aaron Wiggins (14 points with 4/7 triples) and Cason Wallace (11 with 3/9 T3) were key to takeoff in the first part.
Los Pacersalthough they tried to show that spirit of resilience that characterizes them, They were not able to placate that perfect storm And they look out to the abyss. Pascal Sakakwith 28 points (6/9 T2, 3/6 T3 and 7/8 TL), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 robberies and 2 caps was the leader of his team despite his 6 losses. But he only found support in Aaron Nesmith (14+6), Myles Turner (13+6) and the substitute TJ McConnell (18+4+4+2 robberies in 22 minutes), first player from James Harden In 2012 to reach those figures leaving from the bench In a party of the finals.
Haliburton's darkest night
Special mention deserves Tyrese Haliburton, who perpetrated the one who is surely the worst game of his career. The base did not start well, without its habitual and very erratic clairvoyance, and A blow to the lower part of the right twin He threw his painful performance even more. Just Without scoring a single basket at stake, with 4 points (0/2 T2, 0/4 T3 and 4/4 TL), 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 losses in the 34 minutes That was on court. This time it was a Rémora for his team, denied without the usual catalyst of his game. It was one of the worst performances of a star in some finals from one of Dennis Johnson (Celtics) in 1978.
Haliburton, injured for 'Game 6'?: “If I can walk, I want to play”
The Thunder dominated from the beginning Thanks to his defense and the success of Jalen Williams, Holmgren and Shai (22-12, 6.40). The pales, borderly without the contribution of Haliburton (which was damaged to the lower part of the right twin after a shock with Shai), they survived in the first act with the pecks of Skashaya ydurin (32-22)despite his 7 losses and its 3/8 in triples.
Wallace and Wiggins tripler orgy
Oklahoma bit back and in attack he found The Philo of the triples of his secondary ones, with two from Wallace (2/2) and three of Wiggins (3/3) To keep the rent (38-26). The triples of McConnell y Nesmith Mintingly rescued Indiana (40-32). But the crushing of Jalen Williams y Shai (16 and 13 points in the first part) gave the maxim to the Thunder (56-38, a 2.29).
Oklahola He came to rest with 8/16 triples (3/16 in the fourth game), while Indiana He was wearing for his mistake (5/16 T3), For the absenteeism of Haliburton (0 points with 0/5 field shots), for their 10 ball losses and for its inability to generate points in static attacks. The Thunder did not let them play the race, where they are handled so well, and suffered (59-45).
The resilience of the Pacers
In resumption Shai, Dort and a great jalen Williams stepped on the accelerator (70-55), But they kept seeing the Pacers for the rearview Turner, You, Topt of Halibilton (He scored his first parts of the game with free throws at 7.07), they clung to the game again (71-62).
Pascal Siakam Machaca The Thunder ring after overflowing Chet Holmgren.
McConnellwith 10 points almost in a row (13 in 14 minutes), and Toppinwith four, they fed the dream of the Pacers and They sowed doubts in the Thunder, that they had to rescue from their rest on the bench to Shai and Holmgren before the basement of their team (81-76, a 1.38). The Canadian MVP, with seven points in a row, and Jalen Williams gave air to their team before the last quarter (87-79).
McConnell and Siakam, Pacers revulsions
McConnell (18 points in 17 minutes and 13 in the third act) He had resurrected Indiana, definitely grown after a triple of siakam (87-82). A Picotazo of Shai And a triple of Wiggins (4/6) They reduced their euphoria (92-82). But the Cameroonian of the Pacers hit again with seven points, triple included (12 in this room) to leave a basket to his team (95-93, a 8.26).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Take the half hook of Andrew Nembhard.
A triple of Jalen Williams and a loss of Nembhard Penalized by Wallace took Oklahoma out of a coma (100-93, a 7.20). Turner and Haliburton maintained their own options, but Two other Losses of Nemphard and one from Haliburton they gave the palars, because Jalen Williams (triple and basket) and Shai (2+1) did not forgive (110-97).
More losses of Indiana: Gifts for Jalen and Shai
And another loss of Haliburton (The fourth of his team and the sixth in the last act) was used by Shai. The exchange of triple of There y Nesmith He unevenly Jalen Williams scoring its point 40 to give the final pull (118-104, a 3.22). The lace gave it Shaifor a day in the shadow of Jalen Williams, when scoring his point 31 to sentence (120-115, a 2.30).
There was no miracle for Pacers who stated the knee (120-109) And in the early morning from Thursday to Friday (2.30 h) They are forced to win on their court not to say goodbye to the ringthe one that almost caressed the Thunder with two opportunities ahead (one in Indianapolis and another in Oklahoma) to be crowned champions for the first time in its history.
