2012 nba playoffs

OKC Thunder One Game Away From NBA Finals

Kevin Durant #35 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates late in the game after hit a free throw against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on June 4, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.
OKC! OKC!

Five days ago, the San Antonio Spurs had won twenty consecutive games and looked all the world to be one of the dominant forces in NBA history, the perfect mix of young and old, an offensive explosion ready to romp past the not-ready-yet Oklahoma City Thunder and take care of those hated Miami Heat (up 2-1 in their own series at that time) in the NBA Finals. Since, the Spurs have been blitzed. The Thunder rode an overwhelming third quarter to beat the Spurs 108-103 in San Antonio in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals last night, and suddenly, San Antonio has now lost three in a row and is one game away from elimination. Oklahoma City certainly has stars of its own — honestly, we’ll take their big three of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden over anybody else’s in the NBA — but you still can’t help but think the Spurs are blowing this more than the Thunder are taking it; the normally reliable Spurs have turned shockingly turnover-prone in the last three games, especially last night. We’re one game away (Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET) from Tim Duncan missing another chance at his fifth championship and his first since 2007. Which means: We’re one game away from the Thunder being the team Knicks fans are cheering for to take down hated Miami or Boston. So get to knowing your Thunder, kids.

OKC Thunder One Game Away From NBA Finals