"Inherited Scottie's big game migraine" - Fans react to Jalen Williams' -40 showing days after dropping 40 points in Finals

Jalen Williams put up a lackluster -40 plus-minus in Game 6 on Wednesday as the OKC Thunder lost 108-91 to the Indiana Pacers to force a Game 7 in the 2025 NBA Finals. Recording the worst impact number in the game, Williams’ performance came after an impressive 40-point outing in the Game 5 win in OKC.

Williams finished with 16 points, on 6-of-13 shooting, including 0-of-4 from the 3-point range. The six-foot-six Thunder star also only had three rebounds and one assist in the OKC loss.

With such a performance, Williams was at the receiving end of scrutiny from NBA fans as they roasted him for playing way worse than in Game 5. Some even compared him with Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen, who was notorious for his inconsistent performances in the playoffs, with one tweeting:

"The next Pippen, inherited Scottie's big-game migraine"

codestar 🇦🇺 | 🥏🏵️

@TheCodestarr

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Fake all star flight was right

Liam

@Lclimateguy

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fake fraudulent player

Shane A.

@hall_of_Shane

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The next Pippen inherited Scottie's big game migraine

Others, meanwhile, pointed out Williams’ streaky showings, which have been the Thunder’s barometer throughout their playoff run.

Xavier Sanchez

@Xavier_Sanchez4

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From scoring 40 points the other night to being a -40 plus-minus when on the court. What a swing.

Out Fox Sports

@MarkHolder27

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Jalen has been horribly streaky this series, +14 last game.

⌚️

@BradenEscobedoP

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Back to back 40 pieces 😭

Williams was the second-best scorer for the Thunder in the game, just behind regular season MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who also had a poor stat line of 21 points and a season-high eight turnovers.

Williams’ Game 6 tally was his worst scoring output in the Finals series. Before the game, he had scored over 25 points in Games 3, 4 and 5. With the loss, the Thunder will have to face the Pacers again in Game 7 at their home floor in a bid to win first NBA championship since moving out of Seattle.

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Jalen Williams laments OKC’s turnovers after poor performance

Jalen Williams lamented turnovers as the Thunder suffered a blowout loss in Game 6. He explained how the Thunder lost control of the game with their turnovers.

“It just got sticky. Our defense wasn’t very good, and we’re constantly taking the ball out, and playing against a set defense,” Williams said. “That starts with me getting better.”

The Thunder tallied 21 turnovers in the game, compared to the Pacers’ 10, which is uncharacteristic of OKC, a team known for its outstanding defense throughout the season.

The third-year star has been the team’s second-best player in the series, making himself effective on both ends of the floor. The Thunder may require more from Jalen Williams as they look to seal the NBA title on their home floor.