Photo: Peter Baba

Around the league, attention is also focused on how the San Antonio Spurs will respond emotionally after surrendering a 29-point lead and falling behind 3-1 in the series.

“This is going to be a real test of the Spurs’ resolve,” said a Western Conference scout.

“They’ve shown they’ve got resilience, and they have a lot of emotional maturity … they’ve shown they can get off the mat. But was that game the final straw?”

Despite the setback, several league sources still believe San Antonio is capable of extending the series and forcing a return trip to Madison Square Garden.

Another storyline entering Game 5 will be the condition of Victor Wembanyama, who played 44 minutes in Game 4 and appeared fatigued late in the game.

The extra recovery time between games could play an important role as the Spurs attempt to keep their season alive.

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