Oklahoma City had a chance to square the series at home after taking Game 3 but couldn’t get the job down. The Thunder now finds themselves in the dire predicament of knowing a loss in their next three potential games would end their season.
The sixth-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder is on the road as they travel to face the third-seeded Portland Trail Blazers in Game 5 of their best of seven set Tuesday night. Portland took the first two games of the series at home, prevailing 104-99 in Game 1 and following that up with a 114-94 victory in Game 2. Oklahoma City got on the board by taking Game 3 at home 120-108 but the Trail Blazers claimed Game 4 111-98 on the road Sunday to take a 3-1 series lead.
The Thunder owns a 120-116 advantage in the all-time regular season series and swept the four games between the teams this season. In the postseason, the teams have each won two previous series though the Trail Blazers own an 11-9 edge in head to head playoff victories.
Oklahoma City has to dig down and find the momentum that carried them to four straight regular season wins over Portland, including a pair in this building.
The Thunder was within two after the opening quarter and four at the half before things got away from them a bit in the third quarter. A 21-6 run in the third quarter turned a 58-54 deficit into a 79-60 hole: Oklahoma City didn’t get closer than seven with 1:31 to play in the game.
The Thunder shot 37.5 percent from the field, including 15 of 40 from three-point range, and turned the ball over 14 times in the loss. Paul George led Oklahoma City with 32 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the loss.