Eighteen wins in a row, and eight victories to go.
That tells how the San Antonio Spurs are steamrolling through these playoffs at a pace that is flirting with NBA history, even if they are saying as little about it as possible.
"We don't have any secret. We don't even think about it," Spurs guard Tony Parker said.
There's plenty for everyone else to mull.
Like whether these Spurs -- some 13 years after winning their first of four championships -- actually might be the best version yet as they get ready for their first Western Conference finals since 2008. They'll play either the Los Angeles Lakers or Oklahoma City. If the Thunder won Monday's late game, Game 1 will be Sunday in San Antonio.
Sweeping the Clippers last weekend put San Antonio's winning streak among the 10 longest in league history -- tied for fifth along with Michael Jordan's 72-win Chicago Bulls in 1996, among others. Eighteen straight victories make a franchise record, and getting to 19 would tie the 2001 Lakers for the record of longest winning streak kept alive in the postseason.
They rallied in the closing minutes Sunday night behind Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili to beat the Clippers 102-99 and wrap up the second-round series 4-0.
"We needed a game like that," Parker said. "We battled."
Duncan scored 21 points and Parker added 17 as the Spurs overcame a six-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Thunder 106, Lakers 90
Russell Westbrook scored 28 points, Kevin Durant added 25 points and 10 rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder surged ahead in the second half to beat Los Angeles 106-90 in Game 5 on Monday night and eliminate the Lakers from the playoffs.
Westbrook had a pair of three-point plays during a 14-3 burst that put Oklahoma City ahead to stay late in the third quarter, and Durant hit two 3-pointers as the Thunder scored the first 10 points of the fourth to push their lead to 93-77.
Kobe Bryant scored 42 points for the Lakers.
The Thunder open the Western Conference finals on Sunday at top-seeded San Antonio.
Magic coach, GM gone
The Magic fired coach Stan Van Gundy on Monday and agreed to part ways with general manager Otis Smith, severing ties with two of the architects of one of the most successful runs in franchise history.
Smith and Van Gundy's relationship with center Dwight Howard was the centerpiece of drama the team faced all season and following their second straight first-round playoff exit, and CEO Alex Martins said the shift was warranted.
Orlando went 37-29 in the regular season but was eliminated in five games by Indiana after a rash of late-season injuries that included back surgery for Howard.
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