OKLAHOMA CITY -- The ball kicked out to Carmelo Anthony at the top of the key with 14 seconds on the shot clock, and a justifiably wide open straightaway 3-pointer was in front of him. With no hesitation, Anthony caught the pass and fired the ball to his right to an even more open Alex Abrines.

The shot went up, clanging off the back iron.

Two quarters later, a similar situation presented itself. The ball found Anthony, who was open enough to shoot, but he swung it instantly to a more open Abrines. This time, the Spanish sharpshooter, who has been slumping, paid it off.

It was a matter of process over results, a tangible win for the message Billy Donovan has been hammering away at for the last month. And it's not that it was pretty -- at all -- for the Oklahoma City Thunder in their 90-87 win over the Spurs' B-team, but stylistically, the Thunder were different. The ball moved from side to side, the pass was trusted, the open man found more times than not. The Thunder shot the ball miserably -- especially Paul George, who was 2-of-17. But again, in a big spot late in the fourth quarter, Russell Westbrook turned down what would've been a highly contested shot in the paint to kick to a wide open George. He took one dribble, and a deep breath, and drained a 3 to put the Thunder up eight. It also gave Westbrook his 10th assist, and a seventh triple-double on the season.