Oklahoma City Thunder: Ranking the Game 1 winners

The Thunder got a huge win over Dallas in Game 1, 99-98, winning on Kevin Durant’s soft jumper with 1.5 seconds left in the game. But here’s how crazy were the first weekend of the NBA playoffs. That wasn’t even the most impressive 99-98 game. Ranking the eight winners, in terms of impressiveness of performance:

1. LA Clippers: Down 27 points in the third quarter — and down 24 with nine minutes left — the Clippers stormed back and won it, 99-98. Chris Paul’s two foul shots with 23 seconds left put the Clips ahead for good, then Rudy Gay missed a shot at the buzzer for Memphis. One confession: I fell asleep on the Clips. Me and most of America.

2. Orlando: Left for dead during the Dark Shadows season of Dwight Howard, the Magic went to Indianapolis and stunned the Pacers 81-77. Howard is out with a back injury. Stan Van Gundy is dead coaching walking. Indiana has the better roster. But Van Gundy is a coaching fiend.

3. Lakers: LA was at home against Denver, but the Lakers were without Metta World Chaos, serving his notable suspension. And the Lakers won easy, 103-88. That’s got to be discouraging for the Nuggets, the NBA’s highest-scoring team.

4. Miami: Blowout city. The Heat routed the Knickerbockers 100-67. No one wants to play the Heat.