On a recent March night, when Durant lagged behind while wrapping up an interview with a reporter, Westbrook shrieked "Keeeevin!" just to ensure his teammate didn't breach their pre-game routine.

"It's kind of like a brother relationship amongst those guys," said teammate Desmond Mason. "I think it's good. It really sets the tone for the future and the relationships they have with each other. As they grow, they'll be able to communicate with each other on the floor without any controversy because they've developed that bond and they can say things without the other guy taking it personally because they're friends."

This could be the beginning stages of a long and successful marriage. The Thunder's best three players are genuinely buddies, sharing a close bond that has guided them through the storm of this inaugural season and will serve as the backbone on which franchise success could be formed in the years to come.

"Nobody is jealous of the other, and everybody just kind of gets along," said Westbrook, the rookie guard out of UCLA. "That makes it a lot better for us regardless if we're losing or we're winning."

That chemistry proved invaluable during the first two months of the season, when the Thunder started 3-29 and appeared on the path to breaking the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers' record (9-73) for the worst in league history.

"The thing that I've enjoyed is during the times that the winning was not there early on they hung together," said coach Scott Brooks. "They understood that it's going to take extra effort, extra togetherness. And they did that."

Did it through small acts like pre-game chapel. Or trips to the mall. Or organized outings to dinner when on the road. Or frequent visits to bowling alleys. Or spending time at each other's homes.

"When I first got here it was refreshing to see how close the guys were," said veteran forward Malik Rose, acquired from New York in a trade-deadline-day deal. "How all the guys were talking and laughing and getting along on the plane, on the bus or when we go into another city, that's definitely a building block to a strong team. You've got to have that chemistry off the court and that will definitely translate on the court."

The relationship between Westbrook, Green and Durant originated at the draft in New York last year, when Durant attended the event to support the then-Sonics draft pick. Durant met Westbrook and his family on that June night, then Green met Westbrook a day later when Westbrook flew to Seattle to meet the media.

"I could tell by his personality that he's similar to me and Kevin," Green said. "He's goofy, silly but a hard worker."

Durant credited Westbrook for the group's kinship, pointing out how the rookie is always laughing, smiling and joking.

"He's made things a little bit more fun than it was before," Durant said. "Last year we didn't have this much fun playing on a team. He brought that college feel to things and it kind of loosened everybody up... It's been real close and real tight-knit and more like a family. That's how I like it."

Pacersat ThunderTime: 6 tonightWhere: Ford CenterTV: KSBI-52 (Cox 15)Radio: WWLS 98.1-FM, WWLS 640-AM, Sirius 217, XM 235Live blog: http://www.thundermadness.com

Three things to knowRookie forward D.J. White is expected to make his NBA debut tonight.The Pacers won the first meeting, 107-99, on Nov. 10.The Thunder has lost four straight games inside the Ford Center.