Oracle was still buzzing from Kevin Durant’s 3-pointer when the Warriors forced a turnover. Stephen Curry looked to be taking his time on the transition opportunity, but soon it was clear what he was doing. He was waiting.

Curry whipped the ball around his back as he stared down the defender. It wasn’t a dribble move, but a perfectly timed pass to Durant, who was charging down the right side. It was as if Curry knew where the ball was going as soon as he scooped up the turnover. Durant stepped right into a 3 and drilled it.

“I felt like they rallied around me,” Durant said, “and that was a great feeling.”

The Warriors swathed Durant in a blanket of love Thursday night. Just in case he had any doubts. To disintegrate any buried regrets conjured by his emotions. To answer any possible second guesses climbing from the recesses of his conscience.

They vanquished his old team, blistering overmatched and probably tired Oklahoma City 122-96. And they made sure Durant was the star in the process.

Their attentive defense left Russell Westbrook frustrated and well short of his usual jaw-dropping numbers: 4-for-15 shooting with six turnovers in 28 minutes. They brought energy and emotion, a subliminal message that this game was important to them, too. And they featured Durant — with determined screens and in-rhythm passes, they propped up the Thunder and let Durant take his licks. He took 39 of them.

This night was all about Durant. And not only was this team of stars fine with that, they went the extra mile to make sure it was a good night.

“That’s one thing we always talk about,” Draymond Green said. “No guy’s going through anything by himself. Obviously we knew that was a huge game for him. He wanted to win that game and if you don’t want to win that game I’m questioning what kind of competitor you are. We knew that was huge for him and we wanted to rally around him and make sure we got that done. … That was our goal going into this night, just to go out and rally around him.”

It was as crystal clear as ever Thursday. This is why Durant is here.

He pointed to it several times after his decision, how drawn he was to the chemistry he witnessed when the four Warriors met him in the Hamptons. He reiterated it when he praised the unselfishness of his teammates.

And why that was so appealing was on display. As Westbrook took petty shots at Durant (with his photographer vest) and Curry (mocking his tunnel shot). As his former teammates absorbed his career decision as a referendum on his character and their relationship, to the point they didn’t share hugs and chats of their good old days. As the Warriors moved the ball and pushed the pace and attacked from multiple angles.

Durant chose ease over tension. He chose flow over isolation. He chose Curry over Westbrook.

That undoubtedly makes Durant soft in the eyes of some. Being in his feelings, valuing such mushy things, violates the bravado code. And by comparison, Westbrook is hardcore, beloved for his dripping machismo and general ruggedness.

But in that contrast is perhaps evidence of why Durant and OKC came to an end.

In the run up to Durant’s first meeting with OKC, even as Durant tossed olive branches through the media, it was clear how easy it might be to grow weary of Westbrook’s M.O. Especially for someone like Durant, a man evolving, hindsight makes it obvious his relationship with Westbrook was a key factor in his decision to leave.

It seems important for Durant to be embraced, appreciated. He strikes as one who values connection. It seems Westbrook has a way of overpowering synergy. He strikes as one who does him at the expense of all else.

The odd part about this narrative is that Westbrook has gained favor for behavior others have been criticized. Being inefficient, shooting too much, taking thinly veiled shots, and being unkind to the media. Usually this a recipe for NBA disaster.

Bryant was criticized for being too abrasive as a teammate. Carmelo Anthony is devalued for not changing his game to accommodate a more effective style of play. LeBron James has come under fire for subliminal comments and general pettiness.

Westbrook, however, is Euro-stepping criticism for his role in the breakup of a historic duo and come out clean on the other side. Durant took the brunt of the heat.

Thursday, Durant’s new teammates reminded him why that’s just fine, why he won even though it may feel like he lost in the court of public opinion.

The Warriors showed up looking their best knowing Durant was running into his ex. They made sure he knew why he left in the first place.