There have been occasional glimpses of Cameron Payne through the first two months of his career -- sideline celebrations, grainy D-League highlights, brief time against unique lineups and some mop-up duty in blowouts.
But Sunday night marked a first for the rookie. In the second half of the Thunder's win over the Nuggets, Billy Donovan used Payne as OKC's backup point guard, playing him over D.J. Augustin for the first time.
For weeks, it seemed to be tilting in that direction. While Payne has played well in the D-League and impressed behind the scenes, Augustin, the established veteran in front of him, has slipped into a shooting slump.