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OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Memphis Grizzlies are showing a knack for closing out tight games against the Oklahoma City Thunder. All thats left to prove is whether they can finish off a playoff series thats been nip and tuck throughout and move on to the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history. In each of the first three games of the series, the go-ahead bucket was scored in the final 2 minutes. Then Game 4 went to overtime, with Memphis winning 103-97 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series and put the Thunder on the brink of elimination. Game 5 is Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. "Its not like any of the games that it was handed to us. Every game has been right down to the last 2 minutes," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said Tuesday as both teams took the day off. "That gives you hope." For Kevin Durant and Oklahoma City, a once-promising season now comes down to desperation time. Without injured All-Star Russell Westbrook, the Thunder need to win three in a row if they hope to reach the West finals for a third straight season or make their second straight trip to the NBA Finals. For his career, Durant is 1-3 when facing elimination. The only win came in Game 7 against Memphis two seasons ago in the West semifinals. "One thing about Kevin, hes going to come back and give everything he has," Brooks said. "Hes not an excuse guy. Hes not going to blame anything on nobody, other than put the pressure on himself to perform every night. Thats what makes us a good team, because of that attitude that he has." Durant has had to do it all since Westbrook had knee surgery prior to Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs. Hes averaging 30.8 points, 11 rebounds and 6.8 assists in this round, and also hit all the key shots down the stretch in the Thunders Game 1 victory. But over time, Memphis -- the leagues top defensive team in the regular season -- has made it harder for Durant to excel with the game on the line. After going 10 for 16 from the field with 22 points in the fourth quarter of the first two games, Durant has gone 3 for 17 and scored seven points in the fourth quarter in Games 3 and 4 plus overtime on Monday night. His shooting percentage in crunch time has gone down in each game. "Weve just got to find a way to make those plays. Were playing hard every day. Its just not going our way," Durant said. "We just have to get ready for Game 5. Its at home, so it should be exciting. Im looking forward to it." While Oklahoma City is at risk of bowing out, the Grizzlies are one win away from the next big step in their progression as a franchise. Before this season, they had won only one post-season series, against San Antonio in 2011. "Its still a game. Still we have to play another game, and we have to win another game. Theres no greater magnitude," coach Lionel Hollins said. "Its just a game that we have to go out and play well to win. Its just like when were down 0-1, just like when we were 1-1, just like when we were 2-1. It never changes. Its a game that has to be played to the best of your ability and the winning and losing takes care of itself." With two teams that have been so closely matched, there dont figure to be any more major adjustments at this point. Brooks was happy with his decision to have power forward Serge Ibaka guard 7-footer Marc Gasol instead of counterpart Zach Randolph, given that Ibaka emerged from a shooting slump for 17 points and 14 rebounds. "I think it loosened him up, just his mind, so he can focus on what he does well. We need his scoring, we need his shooting and I thought last game was good," Brooks said. "Hopefully we can get it again." It still wasnt enough to change the final result -- the third straight Memphis win by exactly six points. "As hard as they came out on us (Monday) night, theyre going to come out even harder when they get home. Its desperation for them," Hollins said. "And we cant anticipate or think that its going to be an easy game. We have to go out and be ready for a heavyweight battle." Brooks said the three straight losses havent changed his teams mindset, which remains "we expect to win and if we dont, itll be disappointing." And he doesnt want the win-or-else mentality to create mounting pressure on his players. "The pressure is not to make every shot. The pressure is just to compete as hard as you can for your team, and wherever that takes you, you live with it," he said. "I think our guys are ready to commit to one more great effort game, and were looking forward to it." After the loss Monday night, Brooks had a light-hearted moment and mentioned knowing that theres a barbecue festival in Memphis on Friday, when Game 6 would be played. "We want to be able to win in front of our home fans and have another game in Memphis and see what we can do there. I like our ability to come back in tough situations, within games and even to the next game. This is obviously not the greatest position to be in but we still have a chance to be a part of history," Brooks said. "Theres not a lot of teams that have come back from 3-1 but we have the talent, we have the teamwork, we have the effort and teamwork to doCustom Sacramento Kings Jerseys . LOUIS -- Rookie Tavon Austin has missed another day of practice, lessening the odds hell be ready for the St. Bogdan Bogdanovic Jersey .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. http://www.nbakingsonline.com/Authentic-Chris-Webber-Kings-Jersey/ . 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Today, we look back at Boston Strong - a citys recovery from tragedy.BALTIMORE -- Just when it appeared as if the Baltimore Orioles had righted themselves, bad news arrived in the form of an unfavorable medical report.Soon after the Orioles beat the Washington Nationals 8-1 on Tuesday night, manager Buck Showalter confirmed that ace Chris Tillman is likely to be sidelined with a sore right shoulder.I think hes going to be on the disabled list, Showalter said. They were talking about whether or not they were going to inject him. ... I think that would be a sign of where he is heading.Tillman is 15-5. No other starter on the team has more than seven wins.Were trying to be safe, get this thing in the rear-view mirror, Tillman said. That way Im not fighting it all year.If the Orioles are to stay in contention for the AL East title or a wild-card berth, theyre going to need more pitching performances like the one they got from Kevin Gausman, who scattered six hits over six shutout innings.Adam Jones went 4 for 5 and Chris Davis hit his 30th home run for the Orioles, who won two straight over Washington to conclude a 3-5 homestand.Theyre one of the best teams in baseball and in that league, so it was tough, Showalter said.Baltimore is 34-24 against the Nationals in a rivalry that began in 2006. The series shifts 38 miles south to Nationals Park on Wednesday for the first of two games.Gausman (5-10) walked two, struck out two and permitted only one runner past second base. Hes 5-1 at home and 0-9 on the road.Ive pitched well on the road. I just dont necessarily have the wins to show for it, the right-hander said.The 25-year-old Gausman outpitched Nationals rookie Reynaldo Lopez, a 22-year-old making his fifth major league start. Lopez (2-2) yielded six runs, four earned, and seven hits in 2 2/3 rocky innings.The results were not what I expected, Lopez said through an interpreter. The game did not go the way I liked it to.Trea Turner had a career-high four hits for Washington. The Nationals trailed 6-0 after three innings and went quietly in their third straight loss -- their llongest skid since a seven-game run from June 18-25.ddddddddddddIts good to be going home. It seems like we havent been home in a while, Baker said following the conclusion of a nine-game road trip. We go home and regroup. Guys get to see their kids and their wives.Replay did the Nationals no favors. Turner was called safe on steal attempts in the first and third innings, but on both occasions the call was reversed after a replay review. Making the result more maddening for Washington: Jayson Werth followed with a walk both times.The trend continued in the bottom of the third, when replay determined that Jones beat out an infield roller after initially being called out.Mark Trumbo picked up his 93rd RBI with a first-inning single, and the Orioles made it 3-0 in the second when Matt Wieters doubled in a run and scored on a single by Jones.In the third, Jonathan Schoop hit an RBI double and two runs scored when Daniel Murphy fumbled a two-out grounder to second base.Washington got its lone run in the seventh inning when Danny Espinosa singled in a run off Vance Worley, who worked three innings for his first career save.Davis connected in the eighth against Yusmeiro Petit. He has hit at least 30 home runs in four of the last five seasons.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: RHP Joe Ross (right shoulder inflammation) felt good after a bullpen session Tuesday. Our head trainer came in and gave me the thumbs up, Baker said. Hopefully, were going to put him back to work here pretty soon.Orioles: With Tillman out, the Orioles announced that Ubaldo Jimenez will start in his place Thursday night in Washington.UP NEXTNationals: Tanner Roark (13-6, 2.87 ERA) starts Wednesday night. The right-hander is 4-0 in his last five starts and has lost just once since June 21.Orioles: Wade Miley (7-10, 5.58) makes his fifth start with Baltimore. The lefty is 0-2 with a 9.53 ERA since being traded from Seattle. ' ' '