Jalen Williams’ 40-Point Explosion Edges Thunder Closer to NBA Title

OKLAHOMA CITY — Last March, while working on a story for a magazine in Oklahoma, I posed a question to the Thunder’s management: Who is the wild card? On the surface, Oklahoma City seemed unstoppable, a powerhouse team with a 68-win record, led by the MVP and supported by a robust defense. However, given their youth and lack of experience, especially compared to their seasoned Western Conference playoff rivals, I speculated someone would need to outperform expectations.

Consistently, the answer I received was: Jalen Williams.

The Thunder are now one victory away from claiming their first NBA title in Oklahoma City after defeating the Indiana Pacers 120–109 in Game 5 on Monday, largely thanks to Williams. He erupted for 40 points, along with six rebounds and four assists, shooting 14 for 25 from the field and 3 for 5 from beyond the arc. He contributed 10 points in the second quarter, helping to establish a 14-point lead by halftime. He added another 11 points in the final quarter, just as the Pacers began to rally. With the Pacers having narrowed the gap to just two points, Williams sank a critical three-pointer on the next play, extending the lead to five, a gap Indiana couldn’t close.

“That was,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said, “an unbelievable performance.”

Indeed, it was one of many impressive displays from Williams this postseason. He scored 24 points in 33 minutes during Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals. He then exploded for 34 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. Williams averaged 18 points in the first two games of the current series, and over the last three games, his average has soared to 31. Since 1980, only two players younger than Williams have scored 40 points in an NBA Finals game: Russell Westbrook in 2012 and Magic Johnson.

“I’d be lying if I said I could imagine doing what I did tonight,” Williams remarked. “I always believed I’d get here eventually, but I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly or with such an incredible group of teammates.”

Building a successful NBA team can be complex, involving tax considerations, draft picks, and trades that might require as much input from a CPA as from a general manager. However, it’s also straightforward: teams that make the right draft picks generally succeed; those that don’t, fail. Two All-Stars have emerged from the 2022 NBA draft class. Paolo Banchero, the first overall pick, is one. Williams, selected twelfth overall, is the other.

Looking back might make some teams wince. The Detroit Pistons picked Jaden Ivey at No. 5, and the Washington Wizards chose Johnny Davis at No. 10. The New York Knicks, unimpressed by the talent available in the late lottery, traded the 11th pick to Oklahoma City, who selected Ousmane Dieng. With their next selection, the Thunder picked Williams.

Oklahoma City had done extensive research on Williams. They were impressed by his selflessness on tape and his competitiveness during workouts. When Thunder general manager Sam Presti received a strong endorsement from Santa Clara head coach Herb Sendek, it struck a chord. The last player Sendek had recommended to Presti was James Harden, whom he coached at Arizona State.

In just three years, Williams’s career has skyrocketed. He finished as the runner-up for Rookie of the Year, averaged 19.1 points per game in his second season, and increased his scoring to 21.6 points per game this season, earning midseason All-Star honors and both All-NBA and All-Defensive team selections by the end of the season. “Gutsy,” is how teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander described Williams’s Game 5 performance, noting, “It seemed like every time we needed a basket, he delivered.”

Daigneault’s relationship with Williams dates back to his draft workout, which is now part of team lore: Daigneault led the session, and without knowing who he was, Williams responded to Daigneault’s trash talk with some of his own. When he later realized who Daigneault was, Williams frantically called his agent. Daigneault, however, was thrilled, describing it as a “hell of a workout” and “a lot of fun.”

Daigneault has acknowledged that Williams has surpassed his expectations, both as a scorer and a playmaker. This is a testament, Daigneault said, to Williams’s dedication to improvement. Last year, Daigneault noted that opponents were practically daring him to shoot threes during the playoffs. Daigneault encouraged Williams to refine his perimeter shooting. Early this season, Williams became somewhat overly reliant on jump shots. On Monday, as we walked back to the Thunder locker room, I asked Daigneault if Williams continued to surprise him.

“He’s a third-year player who had a stellar first two years and entered this season with the same personal ambitions as anyone in his position,” Daigneault said. “He’s still on a rookie contract, and before this season, had never been an All-Star, never been All-NBA, never been All-Defense. Despite all this, he focused on improving.

“There were games where he drove hard to the basket, didn’t get calls, didn’t complete plays. Some looked rough, especially around December. We put a lot of pressure on him, and he embraced it. Now, you’re seeing the results of that effort. But I give him credit because he was willing to take a step back to leap forward, even with all his ambitions, which I find incredible,” Daigneault added.

Following Game 5, Williams’s teammates were quick to commend his performance. “He can carry a significant burden,” Gilgeous-Alexander commented. “I’ve always said this. He does so much for us on both ends of the court when he’s at his best.” Chet Holmgren added, “We wouldn’t be here without him playing as well as he has.”

When it was his turn to speak, Williams downplayed his individual achievement. Responding to a question about the impact of his 40-point game, Williams said, “My answer might be disappointing because it sort of dismisses your question.” When asked about taking control of the game, Williams simply stated, “I’m just out there trying to be aggressive.” He noted that achieving three wins in this series is good, but the true accomplishment comes with the fourth win.

“I won’t really react,” Williams said, “until we finish the job.”

Although the regular season marked Williams as a star, the playoffs have elevated his status further. Each round has been marked by a standout performance from Williams, with the Finals being no exception. Oklahoma City witnessed the emergence of one superstar in Gilgeous-Alexander, the MVP, during the regular season. The postseason seems to be shaping another.

“I’m not surprised by his performance,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “The kid works incredibly hard. He has the right intentions. He deserves this moment.”

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