Tim Duncan could not quite explain the wild swings this Western Conference Finals has seen. Gregg Popovich jokingly would not even answer the question.

It is strange though how momentum changes as the teams travel to each other’s buildings. Two Spurs blowouts at San Antonio in the first two games were followed with two Thunder blowouts in Oklahoma City. San Antonio looked like the team reeling after giving up the last two games and looking completely helpless on offense. Popovich had to change his lineup, finding the right mix inserting Boris Diaw into the lineup.

Whatever buttons Popovich pushed worked incredibly well. A 30-point win well, as the Spurs won 117-89.

San Antonio’s balance and pace returned. The Spurs moved the ball seamlessly and got the 3-point shots they were not getting in Oklahoma City. San Antonio found its rhythm.

The Thunder lost that rhythm. Serge Ibaka was not as much of a presence in the paint as he was the previous two games. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook got their numbers but did not find the rhythm to keep this game close. Not after the first quarter.

Tim Duncan scored 22 points and Manu Ginobili scored 19 points for the Spurs. Durant scored 25 points and Westbrook had 21 points. But Oklahoma City shot just 43 percent from the floor.

Now if the Thunder want to win this series, they will have to win one game at AT&T Center. That has not changed. But first they have to return the favor on their home court.

This is the Paul George everyone expected to see in the Playoffs — particularly at this critical moment in the Pacers’ goal of passing the Heat and winning a championship. George scored 21 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter helping Indiana erase a double-digit deficit int he second half and take control of the game.

Still, the Heat had a chance to win. After David West split a pair of free throws, LeBron James drove to the rim needing a basket to tie the game but fed it to Chris Bosh in the corner for an open game-winning 3-pointer. It missed and the Pacers held on for a 93-90 win.

Indiana can live to fight another day.

That would certainly be thanks to Paul George breaking out and becoming the star everyone thought he would become after last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. This was his game and his moment.

Indiana finally came through in the third quarter — the period Miami has often dominated and taken control in this series — with a 31-15 quarter. The Pacers finally contained LeBron James to seven points. Somehow someone held James down.

Yet, Indiana should have some worry because the Heat still almost won the game. Literally one play away, one missed shot away, from reaching their fourth straight Finals. Miami is still very much in control of the series heading back home needing just that one win to advance.

The Pacers have hope though. Hope in their star to lead them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPSHjQxHEDo

The Spurs have been here before. The Thunder have been here before. History is having a nasty way of repeating itself for San Antonio. And not in a good way. The lesson the Spurs should have learned two years ago they may be incapable of learning.

San Antonio and Oklahoma City have exchanged pairs of home blowouts each looking equally inept in their losses. We now have a best-of-3 series to determine an NBA finalist after the Thunder defeated the Spurs 105-92.

The Thunder got tremendous games from their pair of stars — Kevin Durant poured in 31 points and Russell Westbrook had 41 points to go with 10 assists. They were unstoppable once the Thunder got rolling. San Antonio’s 8-0 run to start the game seemed to be the only high point for the team. From there, it was Westbrook’s energy and bravado that propelled Oklahoma City forward.

This was not about Serge Ibaka. Not anymore. Maybe Game Three was about that.

This was about the Thunder dominating the game and controlling the pace of play. Everything went right for them. Everything went wrong for the Spurs.

How else can you explain San Antonio being led in scoring by Boris Diaw with 14 points. Tony Parker did have 14, I guess.

Westbrook and Durant did more by themselves than the top two scorers from the Spurs did combined.

Game. Set. Match.

On to Game Five. San Antonio has some serious questions to answer as the team continues to struggle to solve the fully healthy Oklahoma City team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKzRbndc664

Serge Ibaka surprised everyone when he announced he was set to return to the Thunder lineup after straining a muscle in his calf in Game Six against the Clippers. He was supposed to be out for the rest of the Playoffs. And his presence was important, to say the least.

Scott Brooks surprised everyone when he opted to bench Thabo Sefolosha in favor of Reggie Jackson. Oklahoma City needed the bolt of energy. It all came together to deliver the Thunder an important win.

Ibaka scored 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting, providing the spark and energy to give the Thunder a 106-97 win. The Spurs could not get in the paint with the ease they did in Games One and Two. Ibaka can change that much with his shotblocking. The Thunder outscored the Spurs in the paint 46-40. A humongous turnaround from the first two games.

Kevin Durant scored 25 points and Russell Westbrook broke out in the third quarter from an early slump to score 26.

Oklahoma City’s defense was the difference however. Ibaka had four blocks and Steven Adams had four more. The Thunder had 10 as a team. The Spurs shot just 39.6 percent from the floor.

They made their 3-pointers in the first half but could not sink them in the second, settling more and more, failing to get to the line and failing to make in-roads in the paint.

Oklahoma City controlled the paint and and controlled the pace. This was their night to show they were still in this series and give the Spurs some questions to answer.

The Pacers wanted home court advantage and subsequently lost it.

The Pacers took a dominant lead in the first quarter and subsequently lost it, turning over the ball and giving the Heat every chance to take control of the game. And if you give the defending champions an inch, Miami will likely take it.

More dialed in on defense, the Heat swarmed and got out on the fast break for what seemed like the first time this series. This was a game played at the Heat’s more break-neck pace. It enabled Dwyane Wade to get into a rhythm through his drives and forays into the paint. He scored 23 points and darted into the lane while balancing it out with a couple 3-pointers.

LeBron James’ overall brilliance — 26 points and seven assists — carried Miami throughout. Then came Ray Allen’s finish. He hit four 3-pointers in the final quarter, propelling the Heat to the 99-87 Game Three victory.

The Pacers did not help themselves, committing 19 turnovers leading to 26 Heat points. They abandoned their pursuit of the paint in the face of the Heat’s swarming, trapping defense. Indiana had just 38 points in the paint despite the sizeable advantage it had early on in the game going to Roy Hibbert and David West and Luis Scola. They seemed to disappear from the pressure.

That is something Indiana should have had solved. Certainly it seemed like the team had some of it figured out in the two games in Indiana. On the road, things are a bit tougher and the Pacers will have to dig deep now to get back homecourt advantage. It is going to take 48 minutes to dethrone the champs.