The opening weekend of the NBA playoffs gave us several great Game 1 outcomes. Monday night only had two games, but easily the best game of the postseason so far. 

After what appeared to be another one-sided affair for the top-ranked Golden State Warriors, the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers came back from 31 points down in the third quarter to defeat the defending champions at Oracle Arena 135-131. The comeback win is the largest in NBA playoff history, topping when the 1988-89 Los Angeles Lakers came back from 29 points down versus the Seattle Supersonics.

The Clippers outscored the Warriors 85-58 in the second half behind Lou Williams' 36 points and Landry Shamet's game-winning 3-pointer with 16.5 seconds remaining.

Aside from suffering a gut-wrenching loss, the defending champions lost DeMarcus Cousins early to an injury in Game 2. The former All-Star center suffered a quad injury while diving for a loose ball. He didn't return to the game and early reports indicate he's dealing with torn left his quad. He will undergo an MRI exam on Tuesday.

In earlier game action, the Philadelphia 76ers made a statement by blowing out the Brooklyn Nets in Game 2. After leading by just one point entering halftime, the Sixers tied an NBA record by scoring 51 points in the third quarter. They eventually defeated the Nets 145-123 to tie the series at one-all.

Here's everything you need to know about Monday night's playoff games:

NBA schedule for Monday, April 15

*All times Eastern

  • Philadelphia 76ers 145, Brooklyn Nets 123 (Box Score)
  • Los Angeles Clippers 135, Golden State Warriors 131 (Box Score)

Clippers complete record 31-point comeback in Game 2

It's suddenly a series between No. 1 and No. 8. After losing DeMarcus Cousins due to a quad injury early on in Game 2, the Clippers completed a 31-point comeback versus the Warriors -- the largest comeback in NBA playoff history. Los Angeles outscored Golden State 72-37 after trailing 94-63 with 7:37 remaining in the third quarter behind Lou Williams' game-leading 36 points.

Cousins leaves Game 2 early due to quad injury

DeMarcus Cousins just can't catch a break. After struggling in his NBA postseason debut in Game 1 vs. the Clippers, the former All-Star big man exited Game 2 early due to a quad injury while diving for a loose ball.

The Warriors announced Cousins will undergo an MRI on Tuesday.

Simmons posts triple-double in Sixers' win

The Sixers are all tied up with the Nets after their 145-123 win in Game 2. Ben Simmons posted a triple-double (18 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds) as Philadelphia rested their starters for most of the fourth quarter.

Simmons, Embiid get Sixers out to great start in second half

Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid helped the Sixers get out to a 21-2 start in the second half, and connected for this nice and-one on the fastbreak. 

Dinwiddie goes up top to Allen

Spencer Dinwiddie and Jarrett Allen combined for an impressive alley-oop toward the end of the first half. The Nets guard tossed it way up to his big man, who threw it down hard.

Nets sink two and-one 3s in a row

The Nets love launching 3-pointers, and their long-range attack led to a rare sequence in the first quarter where they hit two and-one 3s in a span of 90 seconds.

Embiid to play in Game 2

Joel Embiid ended up playing in Game 1 of the Sixers' first-round series with the Nets, and he'll be back in the lineup again on Monday night for Game 2. It doesn't appear that his knee problems have gone away, but at least for now it's manageable enough for Embiid to still get out there. He finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds in Game 1, but shot just 5-of-15 from the field, including 0-of-5 from 3. The Sixers will need a more efficient performance from their star if they want to avoid a disastrous start in this series.