SGA & Jalen Williams join LeBron James & Kyrie Irving as only teammates to deliver a 40- & 30-point game in the Finals since 1980.
INDIANAPOLIS — When the closest competition for the NBA Finals MVP award is your teammate, that means you’re in a very good place. At the very least, assuming all goes well, the worst that could happen is you “settle” for just an NBA championship.
At this point, however, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is well-positioned to have it all. He’s one victory away from adding significantly to an awards haul that will make this season an all-timer.
With Oklahoma City up 3-2 in this series, he has two chances to get two trophies — the championship and also the Finals MVP. If secured, those honors would be the crowning achievement in a season full of them: All-Star starter, First Team All-NBA, scoring title, Western Conference Finals MVP and of course, regular season Kia MVP.
He sits on top of the Finals MVP Ladder, one notch above Jalen Williams, still leading the Finals in scoring and the main reason OKC is one win away from its first championship.
And it’ll require an MVP-like effort from somebody on the Pacers to infuse doubt into this series, starting Thursday in Game 6 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC). Good luck to Indiana; as of right now, Gilgeous-Alexander has a grip on the two awards he’s lacking.
The stat to know: Gilgeous-Alexander ranks among the top five in scoring (32.4) and steals (2.4) average in NBA Finals history.
What they are saying: “That’s what [Gilgeous-Alexander’s] done all season for us. He’s been an elite closer. He’s a guy that just kind of continues to put our team in positions to go out there and win games. We continue to just trust him at any point in the game.” — Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins on SGA.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
2025 NBA Finals stats: 32.4 pts, 4.6 reb, 5.0 ast
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 31 points in Game 5.
His case: Gilgeous-Alexander had his most complete game of the series Monday, with 31 points, 10 assists, four blocks and two steals. Once again, he answered the bell, kept his performance level high on both ends and remains the centerpiece of this emerging championship team.
All that’s left is a convincing closeout game, which could happen Thursday. If he is bloodthirsty enough, he’ll raise his game a notch higher, if that’s possible. He was up to the task in closeouts vs. the Nuggets and Timberwolves in the previous rounds.
2. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
2025 NBA Finals stats: 25.8 pts, 5.6 reb, 4.2 ast
Jalen Williams blasts the Pacers, erupting for a new playoff career high 40 points to lead the Thunder to a Game 5 Finals win.
His case: When a No. 2 option goes for 40 points, as J-Dub did in Game 5, he automatically elevates and becomes a strong MVP contender. This was only the biggest game in OKC’s history, and he delivered forcefully.
However, he has a strong case from the previous games as well. Over the last three, Williams is averaging 31 points on 51% shooting and six rebounds. His growth, maturity and aggression are all apparent over the last week. It’s his time, and he realizes it.
3. Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
2025 NBA Finals stats: 20.6 pts, 7.4 reb, 4.2 ast
His case: A constant and consistent source of energy for the Pacers, Siakam is forcing OKC to play its best defense against him. Whenever OKC throws a double-team in a player’s direction, that’s a sign of respect from a top-rated defense, and at times, Siakam has demanded as much.
When the Pacers need a bucket, he’s the most logical option, especially now with Tyrese Haliburton dealing with leg issues. Can Siakam accept an even bigger load on Thursday? Indiana’s season may well rest with his ability to drop 30 or even 40 points. He’s capable of that.
4. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
2025 NBA Finals stats: 15.0 pts, 6.2 reb, 7.2 ast
Tyrese Haliburton is admirably fighting through an ankle injury, but his limitations keep Indiana in check throughout Game 5.
His case: He’ll need divine intervention from the medical and basketball Gods to get straight physically in time to be healthy in Game 6. If those holy figures are having pity on the Pacers, Haliburton will be fine and have every motivation to perform at the level needed.
And obviously, for Haliburton to win Finals MVP will require a pair of stirring comebacks — by him after a four-point outing in his last game, and by the Pacers both Thursday and Sunday.
5. Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder
2025 NBA Finals stats: 12.2 pts, 3.8 reb, 2.8 steals
His case: In two of the three OKC wins, he was tremendous and impactful, scoring 20 points each time off the bench; Caruso never had a 20-point game during the regular season. In addition, his five-steal night helped OKC get stops and generate Indiana turnovers.
He’s averaging the most steals ever in the Finals of any player coming off the bench. He’s the only reserve player on this ladder, which says plenty about OKC’s confidence in giving him starter-like minutes. Whenever the Thunder need a lift or simply want to shake up the game, Caruso’s on the floor.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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