Clippers vs. Thunder: Focusing on Game 5 in a best-of-three series

The Clippers tried to temper their excitement after Game 4, knowing that Game 5 is the next big challenge.

The Clippers rallied from a 22-point deficit in the first quarter and a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to pull out a 101-99 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon at Staples Center to tie the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal playoff series at 2-2.

With Game 5 on Tuesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Chris Paul suggested that the Clippers can’t carry the momentum from Sunday’s stirring victory with them.

“At the end of the day, we’re going to start the game 0-0,” Paul said after scoring 23 points and handing out 10 assists. “We’re going to their place. I think we got to bring that same energy and mind-set, not the one we started off with. We just have to understand that sometimes you just have to impose your will, just play hard.”

The Clippers did win Game 1 in Oklahoma City before losing Game 2 there and Game 3 at Staples Center on Friday night.

Now it’s a best-of-three series.

The Clippers will host Game 6 at Staples Center on Thursday night.

If a Game 7 is necessary, it’ll be in Oklahoma City on Sunday.

“The way we look at it, we’re 2-2,” Thunder Coach Scott Brooks said after Sunday’s game. “We have two games at home. It’s the best-of-three series with two games at home.

“We’re not focused on Game 6 or Game 7. We’re focused on Game 5.”