Following their Game 5 victory, the Thunder took the lead for the first time in the Finals, while the Pacers fell behind for the first time in the 2025 playoffs. This sets the stage for Game 6 of the NBA Finals tomorrow, where a new champion could be crowned if the Thunder win in Indiana. It would be the franchise’s first title since relocating from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008 after losing the 2012 Finals, though the team did win in Seattle in 1979. The team is led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and a roster brimming with young, tough players. These athletes have risen to the occasion, especially former Lakers champion Alex Caruso.
Thunder Players on the Brink of History
Friday marks one year since Caruso joined the Oklahoma City Thunder in a trade with the Chicago Bulls for Josh Giddey. Caruso could become a champion for the second time in his career before completing his first year with the Thunder.
Ahead of Game 6, Thunder players Alex Caruso and Luguentz Dort spoke with Marca’s NBA Finals correspondent, Nacho Garcia, about what’s on their minds now that they’re so close to becoming champions, as well as how they handle emotions and distractions. Garcia also asked Caruso if this moment reminded him of his championship run with the Lakers in the bubble. Caruso said the focus feels similar: “You understand how close you are, and you just want to be ready to give your all.”
Caruso brought his competitive DNA and eight seasons of experience, including his championship run with the Lakers, to the Thunder. The Thunder lacked that experience last season when they also finished as the top seed in the West. This time, they’ve validated it by reaching the Finals and posting the best record in franchise history (68-14)-the sixth-best in NBA history-while ending the regular season with historic, positive numbers.
Meanwhile, Lu Dort, the team’s top defender on the league’s best regular-season defense, earned his first All-Defensive Team selection and has shot an impressive 14-24 (58.3%) from three-point range in the Finals, leading the team. Dort shared that they’re treating it like any other game: “We’ve played so many games this year, so we approach it the same way. It’s going to be another tough challenge-go out there, compete, play hard, and give ourselves the best chance to win.”
Pacers Face Must-Win Game 6 with Haliburton in Doubt
Uncertainty surrounds Indiana’s star player, Tyrese Haliburton, who is questionable for game 6 due to a right calf strain. Indiana’s task is straightforward: win to force a Game 7 on Sunday in Oklahoma or see how the Thunder lift the trophy in their arena. Both teams will feel the pressure, but I believe that, even without Haliburton, Indiana has players capable of controlling the game at home. Historically, teams that win Game 5 of the NBA Finals when the series is tied 2-2 have a 23-8 (.742) series record.
The last three teams to win Game 5 of the NBA Finals when tied at two games apiece-the 2015 Warriors, the 2021 Bucks, and the 2022 Warriors-each closed out the series in six games. Of those teams, only the 2015 Golden State Warriors won the title on the road.
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