Nice column by the Oklahoman's Thunder beat writer, Erik Horne: "PORTLAND, Ore. — With a side-step, his right hand and the precision the Thunder never could grasp over 87 inconsistent games, Damian Lillard waved goodbye to OKC’s season. Paul George called the 37-footer a “bad shot.” He was as wrong as the collapse the Thunder exposed its faithful to this campaign. No Lillard shot over the span of the last 11 days was bad, and as he raised his hand and waved the Thunder into a final collapse, the roar of the Moda Center’s capacity crowd added even more insult to the Thunder’s now infamy. On his way to 50 points, Lillard didn’t forget the Thunder’s posturing in its only win of a lopsided series. He didn’t let Dennis Schroder off the hook for tapping his wrist, miming Lillard’s celebration. He didn’t forget Russell Westbrook “rocking the baby” in his face. “The series was over,” Lillard said, describing his cold-blooded hand wave to the Thunder’s bench after hitting the game-winning shot over George at the buzzer. “I was just waving goodbye to them.” The Blazers didn’t let the boastful Thunder off the hook, instead sending OKC into the inevitability of an offseason of questions after a 118-115 loss to Portland in Game 5 of their Western Conference series. Portland wrapped the series 4-1 and all Westbrook and the Thunder could do was walk off amid falling red and white confetti strips. The sea of deafening noise after Lillard’s dagger ushered the Thunder out of the visitor’s tunnel with unmet expectations. Westbrook didn’t even turn around to check if the replay confirmed Lillard’s shot. In the annals of Thunder history, it’ll be a crippling loss ranking not far behind Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference finals against Golden State. Portland mounted a 12-point comeback in the fourth quarter to advance to the second round. On the other end of a memorable final push by the Thunder, there was also an inexplicable collapse Westbrook could only describe as “very disappointing.” Portland ripped off a 13-2 run in the final 3:55 of game time to send the Thunder to its third first-round exit in as many seasons. In the final four minutes, the Thunder missed all four of its shot attempts, turned the ball over twice and George missed two free throws. The final four fateful minutes quickly erased a prolific shooting night. The Thunder, it of the woeful offense, shot 54.7 percent and lost. “Tonight from start to finish we played well offensively,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said in what could be his last podium moment in a playoff series. “Defensively, I really felt from the sidelines Lillard made some really hard shots.” “He just made big shots,” said George, who scored 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting. “I tip my hat off. Contested. Thirty-five plus feet out. It was his night and he felt it.” The Thunder felt the sting. Stunned in the aftermath of Lillard’s shot, Steven Adams patted the crestfallen Jerami Grant and Terrance Ferguson on the backs as they stood frozen on the court, Grant putting his weight on Ferguson. Moments earlier, Westbrook drove for a shot to win the game, missing his bulling layup attempt with 18.3 seconds left. When it missed, Westbrook waved downcourt as if to say “defend” on the final possession. There was little defense for Lillard. In a showdown of stars, he torched every wave of Thunder defense and didn’t come out in the first half en route to 34 points. You noticed his every minute on the floor. You noticed Westbrook’s as well, for better or worse."
