There was a not insignificant possibility that Sunday's Western Conference Finals Game 4 between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder would be Kevin Durant's last home game at Chesapeake Energy Arena. With the Spurs up 2-1 following a Game 3 win on Friday that seemed to confirm their crunch-time superiority, a second loss would put the Thunder into a rough, arguably devastating position against a team that has lost just two games in San Antonio all season. Facing elimination so soon would also have served as evidence that Durant's best future lies outside of Oklahoma City.
Those inclined to believe Durant will leave this summer will have to wait at least a few more days to make their arguments. The Thunder will live to play Game 6 at home on Thursday, and they'll do it in large part because of their superstar's prodigious talents.
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Durant matched his career playoff high with 41 points (29 in the second half) to lead OKC to a 111-97 victory that evens the series at 2-2 and puts added pressure on San Antonio to come through in Game 5. His aggressive play helped the Thunder prevail against a Spurs squad atypically dependent on isolation offense, a rarity that stood out even more in the face of impressive scoring balance from the hosts. Durant's big night tipped the balance of Game 4, but the Thunder's contributions from other sources may have been the most heartening aspect of their performance.