2014 NBA Playoffs: Oklahoma City Thunder's wild ride

Curtain Call

Tim Duncan called it "the craziest series I've ever been involved in." The margin of victory for the home teams was an average of 20.4 points a game, with each game swinging drastically to the next.

But after the series transitioned back to Oklahoma City with the Spurs holding a 3-2 lead, there was a feeling that all that blowout nonsense was done with. The Thunder play with a different kind of ferocity at home, cranking up the defensive intensity to a new level. They led 49-42 at the half, and then got some interesting news: Tony Parker was out for the remainder.

And that's when the Spurs outscored the Thunder 37-20 to take a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter. Of course.

The Thunder clawed back with a flurry of offense, Kevin Durant eventually putting them up 99-97 with 32 seconds left. Manu Ginobili had an answer from 3, Durant lost the ball on the other end and Ginobili split a pair of free throws. Westbrook attacked the rim to draw two free throws with nine seconds left, making both. (This time, Durant watched.) The Thunder got a stop and to overtime it went.

That's where they just ran out of magic. Durant went scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting, with Westbrook scoring four points on 1-of-7 shooting. Westbrook had a transition layup opportunity with 43 seconds left to put the Thunder up one, but Kawhi Leonard blocked him cleanly. Tim Duncan hit a fading baseline turnaround with 19 seconds left that hit the rim three different times before finally crawling in. And then Durant missed an open look from 3 with 16 seconds left that would've tied it.

No four-point play. No miraculous steal. No controversial call going their way.

It was over. Just like that.

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