Best Tweets from Oklahoma City Thunder Showdown with Los Angeles Clippers

In a highly anticipated contest between two of the best teams in the Western Conference, the Thunder topped the Clippers 105-91.

The Clippers had several bright spots. Chris Paul was his usual dynamic self, collecting 17 points while dishing out 12 assists to secure his record-setting 13th straight points-assist double-double to start a season. Blake Griffin had an incredible third quarter, scoring 14 straight points for Los Angeles during one stretch.

But the Thunder still kept the Clippers at arm's length on the scoreboard throughout the night. Kevin Durant continued his early MVP campaign with 28 points, eight assists and six rebounds. And the Oklahoma City bench, led by Jeremy Lamb (13 points) and Reggie Jackson (seven points), provided a huge boost for the Thunder.

The game was a hot topic on Twitter. Fans had a variety of exciting subplots to look forward to in the matchup, and the excitement over social media started hours before the opening tip.

One aspect that drew a lot of attention was the animosity between Serge Ibaka and Blake Griffin. Ibaka, Griffin and Matt Barnes got into a scuffle last Wednesday in the teams' last meeting.

Before the game, fans picked up on the possibility of another contentious development.

Barnes, however, would not be a part of it. The team announced he must have surgery to repair a retinal tear suffered in Monday's game against the Grizzlies.

Fans were also eager to see whether Chris Paul could extend his double-double streak to 13 games. He broke the record of 12 points-assists double-doubles to begin a season, previously held by Magic Johnson, on Monday.

There was also some excitement surrounding the presence of Jay-Z and his wife, Beyonce. Kevin Durant joined Jay-Z's new sports agency this past summer, and at least one person sees that as an indication that KD will join the Nets come summer 2016.

The always-entertaining Charles Barkley moved from the halftime show to the commentators table for this matchup. He didn't disappoint, mentioning, for some strange reason, the multitude of farm animals in Oklahoma.

Durant and the Thunder got off to a hot start and held a six-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Russell Westbrook, on the other hand, didn't have a great quarter, drawing the ire of some fans.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers was fine with Durant's prolific scoring, as long as his team came out on top.

Rivers had another good soundbite, commenting on Westbrook's explosive game.

Another Thunder fan hit a half-court shot during a commercial break, leading to some humorous comparisons on Twitter.

The Thunder stretched their lead to 13 with Paul on the bench.

DeAndre Jordan's poor free-throw shooting inspired some unfortunate comparisons.

Chris Paul was called for a flagrant foul on Thabo Sefolosha, although some people didn't think the call was warranted.

At halftime, the Thunder led 51-43.

Blake Griffin came out red hot in the third quarter, showcasing an improved jumper to go along with his usual array of dunks.

Chris Paul assisted on several of Griffin's baskets and extended his record streak of points-assists double-doubles to 13 games. 

Paul also impressed with a new State Farm commercial that featured his "twin," Cliff Paul.

Although the Thunder stretched their lead to 13 again, the Clippers were able to get the deficit down to single digits by the end of the quarter. 

Jeremy Lamb connected on several shots to help the Thunder extend their lead once again, garnering some praise and also a pun.

Oklahoma City had an answer every time the Clippers strung together some buckets. Ultimately, they secured a victory of 105-91.

Beating a stacked Clippers squad convincingly was an impressive performance by the Thunder.

The Clippers, on the other hand, never really established any rhythm.

The Thunder will now try to ride the momentum from this game into their next contest.

The Clippers will look to rebound against the Kings.

While it's still early in the season, Thunder fans and pundits alike have the right to be excited about this victory. The Clippers are seen as legitimate title contenders, but the Thunder never really had any trouble with them in this game. The Thunder led from wire to wire, and they were able to do so without Russell Westbrook's best performance, an encouraging sign. Plus, they showed that their young bench can pick up the slack and serve as an important asset moving forward.

The Clippers should not fret over the loss, though. They proved last week that they could beat Oklahoma City, and they remain just half a game behind the Warriors in the Pacific. Plus, they got more evidence that Blake Griffin is becoming a complete player, as the big man knocked down a bunch of jumpers in the game. Against the Kings, they should continue to work on their chemistry under Rivers and avoid taking as many three-pointers.