A Less-Than-Great Start

Little Sabonis grabbed the rebound, and the Pelicans immediately pushed the counter-attack.

Holiday sprinted downcourt. After crossing midcourt, he caught Sabonis's long pass and continued driving toward the Thunder's frontcourt.

Westbrook chased after Holiday at full speed. Judging by the look of it, the moment Brother Zhu went up for a layup, Westbrook would leap into the air and hit him with a board block.

But Holiday's court awareness was just as sharp. He clearly sensed the enormous threat bearing down on him from behind.

So, as soon as Holiday drove inside the free-throw line, he gathered the ball and took his first step, then launched himself toward the basket. In midair, he made a dramatic change of hands on a double-clutch layup.

Westbrook jumped right behind him, but he couldn't quite cover Holiday's entire body, nor could he anticipate Holiday's double-clutch finish.

The ball was calmly released from the other side of the rim, then banked in.

5–0.

The Pelicans had gotten off to a great start.

After failing to block the shot, Westbrook landed with a look of regret, picked up the ball, and quickly inbounded it again.

Jerebko came back to the backcourt to help. He caught the ball, then passed it back.

Westbrook stepped onto the court and continued dribbling across midcourt, then returned to the top of the key to set up the offense.

After finding Davis's Pick and Roll Screen, he quickly drove past it, charged straight into the paint, and drew the defense under the basket before passing the ball out.

At the corner, Jeff Green caught the ball and swung it to a second player.

Chen Xi caught the ball at the left wing, then immediately dribbled past Butler.

He drove all the way to the free-throw line with the defender on