The Thunder didn't care what the other side thought or what they were planning.
The ball had barely hit the floor before someone grabbed it and quickly sent it back into play.
Westbrook caught the pass and raced up the court. Facing Paul, he leaped into the air, shifted gears for a second burst, and blew past him. Then he spun past Ariza in a flash and reached the basket. He leaped for a finger roll, dodged in midair, and laid the ball in.
A signature solo fast break, beating three defenders before finishing.
Westbrook was truly swift as the wind and fast as lightning.
The Thunder's attack had only just begun.
The Rockets organized another attack. After a series of passes, the ball found its way back into Harden's hands, and he finished the possession with a three-pointer.
The Thunder answered with yet another fast break, sending Gordon streaking downcourt for a dunk.
Both teams were settling into their rhythm.
But that wasn't good news for the Rockets.
With Paul on the floor, they could steady the team and keep it from getting swept up in the Thunder's fast-paced attack.
Even so, the Thunder's relentless push to speed up the game and run in transition left the Rockets scrambling to get back on defense.
The difficult part was that if the Thunder's efficiency didn't drop, they could keep attacking in Transition Offense all night.
They had two players with seemingly endless stamina, and plenty of bench depth.
Trying to outlast them was a dead end.
But to slow the Thunder down, the Rockets had to pick up their own pace, stay focused, and greatly improve their Transition Defense Speed.
That was exactly what the Thunder wanted to see.
As the minutes ticked by, the Rockets still hadn't found a