We’ve known Jalen Williams was coming. What we didn’t know was how fast. On Monday night in Oklahoma City, the 24-year-old slammed the gas pedal on his rise to stardom, dropping a filthy 40 points on the Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. And he didn’t do it quietly — he did it with bounce, with a fadeaway here, a dagger three there, and with enough transition firepower to make Reggie Miller reconsider retirement… again.

This wasn’t just another “he’s next up” type of game. No, this was the game. A performance so smooth it looked like he downloaded a Paul George-Wiggins combo package before tip-off. Jalen Williams cooked up 14-of-25 from the field, hitting shots from all over the floor. For three straight games now, he’s climbed — 26 in Game 3, 27 in Game 4, and now 40. That’s a 31 PPG average with six boards per night. That’s not just helping — that’s straight-up hijacking the Finals spotlight.

And then, the quote that sent shockwaves across NBA circles. Former champion Iman Shumpert jumped in on the broadcast and dropped a take spicier than a jalapeno in June: “They had a bunch of times—the lead might’ve been within nine to twelve—and him and Shai had a couple of possessions where they had it… they’re like, ‘Nope, I’m driving this.’ And I thought them playing Batman and Robin back and forth—and the weird thing was, Shai was Robin. Like tonight, he was. Yeah, he like, robin for real. We just never saw that.”

Shumpert’s point wasn’t a diss — it was a celebration of just how much Jalen Williams has grown. When a dude makes the league MVP slide into the sidekick role, even for a night, you know he’s doing something very right.

And look, Shai wasn’t exactly folding chairs. He still logged 31 points and tied his postseason-high with 10 dimes. But what made Game 5 so special was how unselfishly he let Williams take over. It was a partnership, a blend. If SGA was the heartbeat, Jalen was the hands — and he had them all over everything.

Jalen Williams’ Thunder Weather a Fourth Quarter Storm… Again

The Pacers, of course, had their moments. At one point in the fourth, the lead shrank to two. The crowd got quiet. Pascal Siakam drilled a three. Shai got blocked. It felt like a classic Indiana push was loading. But then — BOOM. Thunderstorm. Lu Dort dished to Williams for a cold-blooded three. OKC turned four straight Indy possessions into turnovers faster than you can say “Tyrese needs help.” And just like that, the Thunder ballooned the lead back to double digits. Again. “It always starts defensively for us,” Shai said. “We kind of had them on their heels.”

Facts. They outscored Indiana 31-17 in the fourth of Game 4. In Game 5, same vibe. Just better execution, better composure, and a better Batman. Now, let’s talk about Tyrese Haliburton — or rather, let’s try. Because he was barely there. The All-NBA guard looked like a shell of himself after tweaking his right calf (again) early in the game. He played 34 minutes, but shot 0-for-6, scored just 4 points, and generally floated through the game like a player trying to convince himself he was fine when everyone could tell he wasn’t.

“He’s not a hundred percent. It’s pretty clear,” Rick Carlisle said. And he’s not wrong. Dort had him locked up like prime Tony Allen with a chip on his shoulder. It was hard to watch, especially considering how many times Haliburton has been the architect of comebacks this postseason. But as we saw again, the dude starts games like he’s in sleep mode and only wakes up if the alarm is playoff elimination. “If I can walk, then I want to play,” Haliburton said. You respect the heart. But Game 6 is going to require more than just good intentions.

Speaking of sparks, let’s show some love to T.J. McConnell, who turned into Allen Iverson in the third quarter out of nowhere. He dropped 13 points in 6 minutes, sliced up the Thunder defense, spun Chet Holmgren around like a washing machine, and gave Indy some serious hope.

But then… nothing. He barely played in the fourth. Carlisle went back to Andrew Nembhard, who promptly fumbled three turnovers and scored zip. McConnell might’ve been gassed, but you gotta ride the hot hand in the Finals. He was cooking with microwaves and still got unplugged. Look — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had one of the best playoff runs in recent memory. Monday’s game made him the fourth player in history to score 30+ in 15 playoff games, joining Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Hakeem Olajuwon. Yeah, that’s very good company.

But what’s most exciting for OKC fans? They’ve got a second weapon now. A legitimate, unflinching co-star. Jalen Williams. That’s five times now — in this article and in Shai’s head. He’s strong, He’s fast, He’s confident. And in a postseason full of defensive collapses, bad rotations, and scary injuries, Jalen’s emergence feels like the calm inside the Thunder.