SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kevin Durant anotó 27 puntos el lunes y el Thunder de Oklahoma City se colocó a una victoria de llegar a la serie final de la NBA al derrotar 108-103 a los Spurs de San Antonio en el Juego 5 de la serie por el título de la Conferencia del Oeste de la liga.

Russell Westbrook agregó 23 puntos y el Thunder tomó una ventaja de 3-2 en una muy divertida serie ante los Spurs. Después de lucir invencibles mientras extendían una racha de 20 victorias consecutivas hace una semana, los Spurs han perdido tres juegos seguidos y están a punto de un sorprendente colapso.

El argentino Emanuel Ginóbili anotó 34 puntos en su regreso a la alineación titular, pero falló un triple que habría podido representar el empate en los segundos finales.

El Juego 6 se disputará el miércoles por la noche en Oklahoma City, donde el Thunder podría asegurar su pase a la final de la NBA en la cancha en que no ha perdido durante toda la postemporada.

El Thunder se trae a casa justo lo que necesitaba: la obligación para sus rivales de ganar como visitantes si quieren sacar adelante esta serie.

Oklahoma City lo logró respaldando a sus estrellas. James Harden anotó 20 puntos, con lo que se unió a Durant y Westbrook como los únicos jugadores del Thunder con cifras de dos dígitos.

Harden embocó el lanzamiento más importante, al encestar un triple con 28,8 segundos por jugarse que le dio a Oklahoma City una ventaja de cinco. Después admitió que se suponía que la pelota tenía que ir a Durant, pero no tuvo más remedio que lanzar cuando se consumía el reloj de tiro y tenía al novato de los Spurs Kawhi Leonard en su rostro.

"El reloj de tiro se agotaba y tuve que sacar una jugada", dijo Harden. "Leonard estaba logrando una gran defensa sobre mí. Simplemente lancé con confianza. Las finales de la Conferencia Oeste; ese es un gran tiro".

El francés Tony Parker anotó 20 puntos y Tim Duncan logró 18 tantos y 12 rebotes para los Spurs.

Después de permanecer invicto durante 50 días antes de llegar a Oklahoma City, San Antonio ha perdido tres partidos en cinco días. Ahora debe ganar dos juegos consecutivos para evitar ver como su mejor oportunidad de ganar un título en la era de Duncan se desvanece.

"Los equipos que ganan campeonatos triunfan como visitantes", dijo el entrenador de los Spurs, Gregg Popovich. "Oklahoma City acaba de hacer precisamente eso".

Es la primera ocasión en que los Spurs han perdido tres juegos consecutivos durante toda la temporada.

"Ese fue un esfuerzo de equipo", dijo el entrenador del Thunder, Scott Brooks. "Todo el mundo hizo su trabajo. Creo que hemos jugado tan duro como podemos jugar".

Durant anotó 22 de sus puntos en la segunda mitad. Westbrook también repartió 12 asistencias.

Por los Spurs, el argentino Ginóbili jugó 38:26 minutos en los que embocó 11 de sus 21 lanzamientos y siete de ocho en tiros libres. También atrapó seis rebotes y entregó siete asistencias.

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