Thunder-Lakers: Inspirational night

Phil Jackson sat down at the post-game press conference and used the word “inspired” or “inspirational” twice in his first three sentences of addressing the game. The Thunder beat the Lakers 101-96 in an historic Game 3 at the Ford Center, the first NBA playoff game in Oklahoma City history.

It was indeed a wild night. Playoff debut. Lakers. David Stern in the house. A coach of the year award to hand out (to Scott Brooks). Just an amazing confluence of events provided one of the most spectacular nights in Oklahoma City history.

L.A. LAKERS: Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka (9) slaps hands with Thunder fans after scoring in the fourth quarter during the basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Thursday, April 22, 2010. Oklahoma City won, 101-96. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman ORG XMIT: KOD

A guy sent me an email, noting that the game fell on 89er Day. “Oklahoma City was born 121 years ago today. This was the best day since.”

The truth is, the Thunder crowds, while outstanding in attendance and close to the league’s best in volume, hasn’t matched the frenzy of that first-year Hornet crowds four years ago. But Thursday night surpassed anything anyone had ever seen.

“One of the loudest crowds I have ever played in front of in the postseason,” said the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant. “At the end of that the quarter, it was like the barn in Sacramento. It was really loud.”

Thunder coach Scott Brooks said he thought the frenzy might have contributed negatively to the slow start. The Thunder missed six of its first seven shots while the Lakers started 7-of-7. It was 15-3, and the air was gone out of the balloon.

But the Thunder brought the crowd back with periodic outbursts, and when the Boomers finally caught up, the genie was out of the bottle and the crowd was going nuts.

With the Thunder up 88-82, coming out of a timeout, the five Laker starters left the bench area to take the court but made a pitstop and formed a circle, arms around each other. Seemed like a bid to get some inspiration of their own, but instead the Lakers were turned into huddle masses. Like a bunker huddle was all that could keep the ravaging hordes away.

Kobe missed a shot out of that timeout, Kevin Durant hit another jumper, and the Lakers played catchup the rest of the way. LA made four straight shots down the stretch, including 3-pointers by Derek Fisher and Ron Artest, but still trailed 96-92 with a 1:30 left, a margin that gave the Thunder enough breathing room to win with foul shots.

Oklahoma City fans celebrate after a basket by Kevin Durant (35) as L.A.'s Kobe Bryant (24) walks to the bench for a timeout in the fourth quarter during the NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Thursday, April 22, 2010. Oklahoma City won, 101-96. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

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