Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, back left, shoots as Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) defends during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of an opening-round NBA basketball playoff series in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, April 29, 2014. Memphis won 100-99 in overtime. AP
OKLAHOMA CITY — Mike Miller scored 21 points on Tuesday as Memphis edged Oklahoma City 100-99 in yet another overtime thriller to take the lead in their NBA Western Conference first-round playoff series.
The Grizzlies took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series as the evenly matched clubs went to overtime for an unprecedented fourth straight game.
The victory was confirmed after Thunder forward Serge Ibaka’s tip-in was ruled too late — just a fraction of a second after the buzzer to end overtime sounded.
Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook stripped Mike Conley at the top of the key and drove for an uncontested layup with four seconds left in regulation as the Thunder forced overtime.
Thunder star Kevin Durant had a chance to equalize again late in overtime. But after he had hit the first of two free throw attempts with 27.5 seconds remaining, referee Joey Crawford physically stopped the 87-percent free throw shooter from attempting his second try as a problem at the scorer’s table was resolved.
When Durant play resumed, Durant bounced his second attempt off the rim, and he hit the rim again on a tough jump shot as the clock was winding down.
Ibaka’s acrobatic follow-up went in, but a review showed it left his hand after time expired.
Zach Randolph added 20 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis, who host game six on Thursday with a chance to eliminate the Thunder.
Westbrook finished with a triple-double of 30 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds, and Durant scored 26 points with eight rebounds in the setback, in which the Thunder turned the ball over 17 times and shot under 40 percent (39.1) for the fourth successive game.
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