Thunder coach Scott Brooks got a little air time while he was in Sacramento yesterday, chatting with KHTK in Sacramento. He took the opportunity to talk about his coaching experience, his relationship with his young team, and their run to the Western Conference Finals last season.

Scott Brooks Still Not Satisfied Despite Best Record in West | Sports Radio Interviews

Please be sure to read the entire interview. I have excerpted a few quotes here:

Best part of coaching the Thunder:

"Their ability to come back every day and get work done whether we have an incredible win or tough loss. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, (Kendrick) Perkins, Nick Collison, they all come back knowing that they have a job to do to get better every day and work every day..."

Where he would like the team to get better at:

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In the wake of OKC's Saturday night thrashing at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs, I immediately recalled a short story I had read last week. ESPN's J.A. Adande had asked Kevin Durant which great NBA duo he and Russell Westbrook most wanted to emulate.

Durant's answer? Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.

I think it is fitting that Durant would look to another small-market team, its all-time great anchor, and his fellow all-star candidate players, to learn how to forge a path and win championships.

It is also worth noting that When both Tim Duncan and Tony Parker entered the league, they were far from the finished products we got to see by the mid '00's. While Duncan had the fortune of winning a championship in his first season, it wasn't really until the 2004 season that he finally figured out all of the nuances of the game and morphed into arguably the greatest power forward of all time. Up to that point, Duncan, like Durant, often struggled with his decision-making and allowed aggressive defenses to take him out of the game. Meanwhile, when Parker entered the league he was lightning quick and a capable scorer around the rim, but he had almost no jump-shot to speak of. Defenders could lay off of him and give him the 20 foot shot, knowing he did not yet have the confidence to score from that depth.

Over time and years of playing together, Duncan and Parker ironed out their weak spots to become one of the best tandems in the game's history, collecting three championship rings together. They never strayed from the course their coach Greg Poppovich set for them and they never looked to play anywhere else. The two learned to play to each others' strengths, and now even in Duncan's twilight you can still see an almost telepathic connection between the two of them.

Of course Durant and Westbrook are not exactly the same players as Duncan and Parker, but there is enough overlap there to see that the OKC youngsters can follow the Spurs' career arc. Saturday night's loss was a fine beating put on by Parker and Duncan, but it is good to remember that there is a shared history and learned experience in San Antonio that cannot be expedited. The Thunder will move past last Saturday's loss, but they would do well to remember that there are still more lessons that savvy vets can teach.

Today Thunder coach Scott Brooks has reason to boast along side his Western Conference player of the week, Russell Westbrook. Brooks was just named NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month by the NBA. Brooks is joined in the honor by Eastern Conference Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.

Scott Brooks Named Western Conference Coach of the Month | NewsOK

The fourth year coach has guided the Thunder to the best record in the NBA despite a hectic schedule that has resulted from the lockout-compressed season. Earlier this year the Thunder went 5-0 during a five-games-in-six-nights run and have since won 11 of 13.

Below the fold, you can find a much younger Scott Brooks keepsake pic.

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Bill Simmons is tackling the NBA this week. His most recent column addresses a number of outstanding questions he has about the league, and one of them focuses on how the Thunder are doing with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook:

Now that Oklahoma City has extended Russell Westbrook for five years, does that mean we can shelve concerns for an Avon/Stringer ending with Westbrook and Durant?

Here are a few of Simmons' comments in answering this question, along with some of my own. Normally I am not a fan of fisking somebody else's work, but there are a few places where we can have some fun.

Did anyone else notice that Westbrook started playing out of his mind the moment Oklahoma City gave him $80 million (and he knew he was staying there)? That HAS to mean something, right? Travel back with me to last spring, when Westbrook (a terrific kid by all accounts) got ripped for his shot selection in the 2011 playoffs (most famously by the TNT guys), took those comments personally, went into a semifunk, became something of a scapegoat for Oklahoma City's collapse in the Dallas series, brooded all summer, then played the first month of the season (pre-extension) with a defiant anger that didn't totally make sense.

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Despite the tough loss last night, one LA Times reporter still took the opportunity to see how some of the Thunder players enjoyed their stay in Los Angeles:

Thunder Players Hang in LA | LA Times

So for the record:

• Kevin Durant likes to shop, but apparently the reporter does not know that he has his own very lucrative sneaker deal with Nike.
• James Harden really likes Phillipe's.
• Russell Westbrook's momma did not cook for him this time in LA, which is obviously an indication that she thinks he and Durant cannot co-exist and the Thunder organization wants to trade her son.
• Royal Ivey took Reggie Jackson to see the new Denzel movie...Hahahaha...All right, BOOM!

Reggie Jackson is featured in the current edition of Dime Magazine. The Thunder's expectations for this year are sky-high and as a result increased attention is given to each of the team's components. Jackson is being pushed to the forefront in the wake of Eric Maynor's season-ending injury, and Dime Magazine caught up with him before the Thunder's game against the Celtics.

Q&A With Reggie Jackson | Dime Magazine

Be sure to check out the whole thing, but here are a few highlights:

Dime: What’s been the hardest part of adjusting to the NBA?

RJ: All the traveling. It’s very tiring. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you what today was, except I’m hearing it’s Martin Luther King Day and of course that falls on Monday. So I don’t really know the dates ever. Too much moving, too much traveling. I don’t know how many games we’ve played. I just take it a day at a time. That’s been my approach. That’s what these guys have taught me, so it’s really helping out right now.

Dime: Being with Kevin Durant, do you guys get any hook ups with shoes?

RJ: I got the KD’s on right now. He takes care of us. Everybody on this team looks out for each other. I’m pretty sure if I asked Russ (Westbrook) for a pair of those kicks, he would give me those too. Everybody’s just looking out for the most part.

Dime: What do you do for fun in Oklahoma City?

RJ: I play video games and chill with my teammates. We just hang out. It’s like being in college again, just everybody kinda has their own crib instead of being in the dorms. But we definitely have that atmosphere. We’re pretty much together all the time, and I think it really shows on the court.

The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry had the opportunity to do a phone interview with the newly minted Russell Westbrook, and Westbrook was in jovial spirits as Mayberry inquired about the new contract extension.

How Russell Westbrook Collected $80 Million | NewsOK

The interview is remarkable because it is one of the rare moments where Westbrook actually opened up a bit about his impression on things and how he was taking it all in. Last season, there were a number of times when Mayberry mentioned in his post-game nuggets and online chats that he didn't quote Westbrook much because there wasn't much for him to quote. This time, however, Westbrook was in a much more quotable mood. Be sure to check out the entire post, but here are some select quotes:

I was kind of speechless, just kind of sitting there thinking about all the stuff I did to get to this point. It kind of reminded me of draft night all over again and making another jump; of all the work I’ve put in and all the people that have helped me get here, I was just thanking God."

And

"I just want to tell the people that I’m thankful and that I appreciate the organization for believing in me...And that I’m going to go out and give it 110 percent every night for the city and for the organization and for my family and the fans."

In reading Mayberry's account, it is evident Westbrook is as dynamic personally as he is professionally. He is composed and thoughtful and fully aware of the tremendous fortune he has earned.

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced today that Russell Westbrook has signed a five year maximum contract extension worth about $80 million, or 25% of the team's salary cap. Adrian Wojnarowski first broke the story on Twitter, which we reported here (Woj originally reported the number was $78 million). GM Sam Presti finalized the deal with Westbrook's agent, Thad Foucher, and the organization plans to hold a press conference on Sunday when the team returns from its current road trip. The team had until January 25th to finalize the deal, lest Westbrook become a restricted free agent.

Westbrook Gets $80 Million Extension | Yahoo! Sports

The Thunder issued a press release today, and Presti has this to say:

"We are thrilled to solidify Russell's future with the Thunder," said Presti. "Since we arrived in Oklahoma City, Russell's work ethic, persistence, character, and involvement in our community have helped us establish the standards that we are committed to on a day-to-day basis. He is a valued member of our organization and we look forward to his continued contributions on and off the floor."

Chairman and CEO Clay Bennett had this to add:

"We are very excited that Russell will continue to be a part of the Thunder organization," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Clay Bennett. "He has demonstrated high personal character, a strong commitment to his teammates and a remarkable dedication to the development of his performance as a player. We especially value his role in the community as he has consistently represented "Oklahoma City Basketball" with pride and integrity."

The contract extension means that Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant will be setting their sites on the NBA title together for the foreseeable future. It is also being reported that Westbrook does not have a 4th year opt-out clause, which means that he is committed through the 2016-17 season.

From a competitive standpoint, Berry Tramel writes:

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