If Oklahoma City ends up losing its Western Conference Playoff series to the Los Angeles Clippers, it will look back at 12 minutes of missed opportunity.

After dominating the first three quarters, Oklahoma City choked away a 75-63 lead over the last frame to lose 101-99. The series is now tied at two games apiece as the series shifts back to Oklahoma City.

Throughout most of the game Thunder defenders were able to keep the tandem of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin in check, while the Clippers as a team where hitting well below 40% of their shots.

The fourth quarter, however, was a different story entirely. Both Paul and Griffin caught fire and reserve guard Darren Collison scored 10 points over the final three minutes to help LA knot the series, and ultimately save its season. Griffin ended with a team high 25 points while Paul added 23. Collison and Jamal Crawford each poured in 18 off the bench for LA.

Kevin Durant scored 40 points, including 15-18 costless throws, but continued his struggles from beyond the arc, hitting only 1 of his 7 attempts. Russell Westbrook added 27 points but missed a potential game winning shot with under five seconds remaining.

"We let this one slip away," a despondant Durant said afterwards. "We could have took control of the series."

But the real story of the game was defense. OKC roared out to a 17 point lead after the first 12 minutes, and Serge Ibaka had frustrated Griffin into only 5 successful field goals through three quarters. As it turned out, the Clippers became unstoppable late in the fourth, asserting themselves on offense and defense. A key play came when Crawford stole the ball and hit a streaking Collison for a lay-up that cut the Thunder lead to one late in the quarter. Crawford and Collison would connect again a few moments later to put the Clippers up by four. LA out rebounded the Thunder by two and harassed OKC into 16 turnovers.

"We were almost on the mat and we got off of it. We didn't get pinned," Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers said. "They're seething right now. They had an opportunity to go up 3-1 and now it's an even series."

Indeed, as both teams head back to Oklahoma City, the Thunder's collective psyche will be tested after blowing a game that would have put the team on the brink of another Western Conference Finals Series. This year’s short playoff history has told shown that OKC has the fortitude to bounce back after disappointment. But the question remains how often it will be able to show such meddle before time ultimately runs out.