NBA Playoffs 2014: Can Thunder sustain momentum against Spurs?

Sometimes having a superstar is all you need to create the difference between two teams and win a playoff game. Russell Westbrook did just that in Oklahoma City's series-tying victory over San Antonio. But can the Thunder sustain a gameplan like that to advance to the final stage?

Westbrook scored 40, Kevin Durant had 31, and the Thunderous duo combined for 71 points to even up the Western Conference Finals. It wasn't just those two scoring all the time -- with Serge Ibaka back and continuing to improve, the Thunder have gained an 18-4 advantage in blocks in the last two games.

That's also created a better transition game for OKC -- they outscored SA 21-0 in fastbreak points last night. The Spurs also relied on the perimeter to generate offense, but ultimately went 9-of-27 from downtown.

In today's generation, there's no doubt that fans and plenty of sports media outlets will send out that agonizing old question of, "Are the Spurs done?" Trolls and other Skip Bayless wannabes are at their Twitter machines asking where the Spurs fans are at.

You would think that we have finally learned that just taking what happened after one game and running with it is the wrong thing to do. I mean, how many people thought this series was over after the Spurs smacked around the Thunder in San Antonio after the first two games?

The reality is that Oklahoma City is gaining some roleplayers in Ibaka and Derek Fisher -- one of the variables needed to complete the equation to an NBA championship. But the largest part of both Thunder victories are the incredible scoring output of Westbrook and Durant. The problem with that is not being able to rely on that each night to win a title.

San Antonio can easily buckle down and make the adjustments, including an improved performance from Manu Ginobli, and take the momentum in this series after Game 5. Phil Jackson got his title as the "zen master" with the Los Angeles Lakers because they generally thrived in the fifth game of a series, making changes when the national media couldn't wait to shoot them down at a rapid-fire pace even when a series was knotted up after four games.

The same is being done with the Spurs because everyone wants to be the first to write that chapter that the Spurs' ship has finally sank. When it comes to making adjustments and managing a team, it's not a stretch to put more faith in Gregg Popovich over Scott Brooks right now.

Oklahoma City could certainly win the last two games and close this series out with Ibaka's dominance inside and the Westbrook/Durant duo scoring around 70 points a game. But nothing is over, despite claims that will be made on social media and four-letter networks today.

Just like being patient and waiting to see what the Thunder would do at home in the next two games of this series, let's see what San Antonio has for the pivotal Game 5.