"Kevin Durant believed in Tony Parker. Asked last week which duo he and Russell Westbrook would like to become, he said Tim Duncan and Parker.

Not Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen?

"Oh," Durant said Saturday night, smiling, "they would be tough to top."

Durant opts for what he has seen in San Antonio. "Longevity, wins, championships," he said.

It's the Oklahoma City tone. The Thunder owner once was a Spurs owner, and the Thunder general manager once worked for the Spurs, and Durant is Duncan, the humble superstar content to remain in a small market.

But wait a few months. Will the Thunder feel the same if the playoff bracket ties them to the Spurs?"