The Oklahoma City Thunder offense both thrived and struggled mightily in the team's first game without sidelined star point guard Russell Westbrook, jumping out to a 39-point first quarter and stagnating enough in the second half to allow the Houston Rockets back into things in Game 3 of their first-round series. With 45 seconds left, Rockets wing Francisco Garcia hit a 3-pointer to give his team a 99-97 lead, and it looked as if the Thunder's collapse might have helped the Rockets to their first win of the series.

[Related: Without Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant carries the Thunder]

Luckily for OKC, Kevin Durant got one of the friendliest rolls a shooter can possibly receive. On the next possession, KD pulled up from the top of the arc for a tough three-pointer over Garcia. The jumper initially clanged high off the back rim ... only to come down to the front rim, bounce to the back rim again, and roll into the hoop for the go-ahead basket. The Thunder never relinquished the lead again, forcing a turnover seconds later and making all four of their free throws to lock down a 104-101 win and a 3-0 lead in the series.

Michael Jordan (left) and Yvette Prieto flash their biggest smiles (Ethan Miller/ Getty).

Any discussion of the NBA postseason eventually turns to Michael Jordan, the greatest player in NBA history and a strong point of comparison for today's stars 15 years after he participated in his last playoff game. That was particularly the case on Saturday, when Chicago Bulls guard Nate Robinson came up one point short of Jordan's franchise record for fourth-quarter scoring in the postseason in a wild Game 4 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

However, the day was an important one for Jordan for reasons entirely unrelated to basketball. More than a year after becoming engaged in December 2011, Jordan married fiancee and former model Yvette Prieto, his girlfriend of five years. People.com has details:

After five years of dating, former NBA star Michael Jordan, 50, and his model-fiancée, Yvette Prieto, 35, made it official with a wedding in Palm Beach, Fla., on Saturday.

About 500 people arriving by tour buses piled into an Episcopal church called Bethesda-by-the Sea, where Donald Trump was married to Melania in 2005.

Jordan invited another 1,500 to join them for the reception at the Bears Club, a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course community in Jupiter, Fla., where Jordan recently built a 38,000-square-foot home.

While 2,000 combined guests does not exactly suggest a modest affair, the full size of this monstrous event cannot be communicated by words. After the jump, check out aerial photos of the wedding tent.

LeBron James signs the sneakers up for auction (via SCPAuctions.com).

The nation has attempted to comfort the city of Newtown, Conn., in various ways after the tragic Dec. 14 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. While the most high-profile efforts have failed, such as the gun control bill blocked by filibuster last week, individual citizens remain committed to helping out in any way they can.

Miami Heat star LeBron James is one of that group, having decided to auction off a pair of game-worn sneakers to benefit the families victimized by the shootings. From the Associated Press:

Andrew Goudelock abuses Tony Parker off the dribble (D. Clarke Evans/ Getty).

The Los Angeles Lakers backcourt is in fairly awful shape, with Steve Nash, Steve Blake, and Jodie Meeks joining Kobe Bryant on the sidelines for at least Game 3 of their opening-round series against the San Antonio Spurs. Franchise icon Magic Johnson has declared the team has no chance of toppling the Spurs, and it's hard to disagree with him.

The guards tasked with replacing the Lakers are not in a position to give up hope, though, and must contend with the Spurs for Friday night's contest. One of them, sharpshooter Andrew Goudelock, has even stated that it's San Antonio point guard Tony Parker who should be worried about him. From Jim Caplan for NBA.com:

Miami Heat shooting guard holds or has held virtually every major NBA record for 3-pointers made. He's the all-time record-holder for 3s made in a career, held the record for 3-pointers made in a single season until Stephen Curry broke it last week, and entered this postseason on the cusp of breaking Reggie Miller's record for most postseason 3-pointers in history. While there are arguments to be made for other players, Allen has a stellar case for being the best shooter in the history of the sport.

[Also: Bulls win ugly against Brooklyn]

On Thursday night, in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the Heat's opening-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Allen added to his resume. With 8:37 left in regulation, Allen took a pass from Norris Cole and drained his 3 three-pointer of the night and the 321st of his playoff career, putting him one ahead of Miller for the all-time postseason record.

Watch the video above, which includes both the record-breaking and record-tying shots, and join us after the jump for more information on the record and a few notes on the Heat's 104-91 win.

Center Chris "Birdman" Andersen has only bolstered the Miami Heat's status as presumptive NBA favorites since joining the club in late January. The heavily tattooed, mohawked big man has added an extra dimension to the defending champs, providing a high-level rim-protector who also has the mobility and athleticism to function well in the Heat's high-tempo, position-switching lineup. He's been an excellent fit, and in their current series against the Milwaukee Bucks, he's sparked several big runs that have put games out of reach.

Andersen has received attention throughout his career for his colorful personality and body art, but he stands to reach a new audience due to his role with the Heat. He's planning accordingly, too, and intends to trademark his name and image to ward off those who would profit off his likeness. From Chris Tomasson for FoxSportsFlorida.com:

Professional athletes are often unreasonably confident, making bold claims that sound like utter nonsense to anyone with a shred of objectivity. While that self-belief is an important part of being a success on the court, it can also occasionally verge into something a little more delusional.

When Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings predicted that his team would defeat the heavily favored Miami Heat in six games in their first-round playoff series, he ended up somewhere between a normal level of confidence and pure insanity. No self-respecting athlete can expect to lose, no matter the matchup, but most observers would consider it an accomplishment for the Bucks to win one game, let alone four. It's no surprise that Dwyane Wade dismissed Jennings's prediction about as casually as an opponent possibly could.

As expected the Heat have dominated the first two games of the series, winning by an average margin of 17.5 points. The Bucks have little hope of following through on Jennings's pre-series prediction. Nevertheless, he's sticking to it. In the video above (via SLAM), Jennings tells TNT's Craig Sager that he still believes the Bucks will win the series in six games.

The Houston Rockets faced a serious challenge heading into Game 2 of their opening-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. After getting blown out 120-91 in Game 1, Houston needed an excellent performance and several breaks. For the most part, they got the game they needed, riding a small-ball lineup and a successful 2-3 zone to come back from a 15-point deficit and take a four-point lead in the fourth quarter. And while the Thunder fought back to lead 98-97 with just over a minute left in regulation, the Rockets had to feel good about their chances in a very tough road contest.

Unfortunately, they were on the wrong side of one of the worst breaks a team can get. With 60 seconds on the clock, Kevin Durant drove left, drew the attention of the Houston defense and found a wide open Thabo Sefolosha on the right wing for a game-changing 3-pointer. The shot pushed the lead to two possessions, and the Rockets never got a real possession with the lead at three points or less again (Carlos Delfino's 81-foot heave at the buzzer would have tied the game, but that doesn't really count). The Thunder won 105-102, and this basket was a big reason why.

However, video evidence shows that Sefolosha's shot probably shouldn't have counted. He was so open in part because Thunder center Kendrick Perkins grabbed the right arm of Houston wing Chandler Parsons as he attempted to close out on the shot. Both Parsons and Rockets head coach Kevin McHale complained after the play, but their cries fell on deaf ears.

[Also: Spurs sweep of Lakers looks inevitable]

Watch the video above, and follow us after the jump for more discussion of the play and its impact.