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If you could see me now, you would see me doing mental backflips for getting to type out a date that consists of only the number '1.' The only time I'll be more excited this year is if the Thunder win the championship, or on November Eleventh.

Hey, Loud Links!

Thunder Coach Scott Brooks: "I Watch the Whole League" | NewsOK

The ever-focused Coach Brooks probably logs a lot of hours watching TV.  Rough life, I'm sure.

Thunder Notebook: Practice, Practice, Practice for OKC | NewsOK

Coach Brooks is enjoying what coaches love to do - run their teams into the floor on their practice court.

Brooks Launches Rockets Again | ESPN

It looks like Rockets guard Aaron Brooks is healthy once more, and they've just knocked off the Eastern Conference leaders. I know Westbrook is gearing up for the challenge.

Tulsa Wins Seventh Straight in Padre | NBA.com

The Tulsa 66ers are the Thunder's D-League team, who competed in their first game of this year's D-League showcase.  Players are showcasing their skills for a shot at an NBA team call-up.

More links after the jump.

Who Are the Best Mid-Range Shooters in the League? | ProBasketballTalk

A look at the players who still excel at the lost art of the 15-18 foot jumper.  Unfortunately you will not find any Thunder player on this list, although it would make me downright giddy if Durant and Westbrook were. They're the perfect kinds of guys who could dominate the mid-range game - Durant, because he's so tall, and Westbrook because he's so quick. I have no idea why they are featuring a picture of Dirk Nowtizki in painting gear, however.

NBA D-League Showcase: Day 1 Preview | NBA Fanhouse

The story is a day old since the showcase has started, but it does contain this interesting tidbit: the Thunder own the rights to four Tulsa 66ers: Cole Aldrich, Latavious Williams, Ryan Reid, and Robert Vaden.  The 66ers lost the rights to point guard Zabian Dowdell, who was the first player called up in the D-League this season, to the Phoenix Suns.

OSSAA Sidelines Eighth-Grade Basketball Phenom | NewsOK

He's the number one ranked basketball prospect for 2015, and he's 14 and coming at you right out of OKC.

Ronald Tillery's NBA Insider: Davis, Laettner Finances Melt | Memphis Commercial Appeal

An interesting look at the Thunder's recently vanquished opponent, the Grizzlies, and how close they came to financial disaster. It also offers an interesting look at the two former Duke Blue Devils who tried to buy them, Christian Laettner and Brian Davis.  I get the Laettner involvement - he played in the league for a while. But where in the world did Brian Davis get this kind of money?