--The Thunder's young nucleus of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook are headed to Phoenix to take part in Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam on Feb. 13. Durant and Green are suiting up for the sophomores, while Westbrook gets a rookie nod.
No other team has more than two players in the sophomore-rookie game. Durant, Green and Westbrook also happen to be Oklahoma City's leading scorers. Durant, last season's Rookie of the Year, is among the league leaders in scoring. Westbrook, the fourth pick last summer, is among the rookie leaders in scoring, assists and rebounding.
--The deadline for coaches to submit All-Star reserve ballots passed Tuesday. Coaches vote for two guards, two forwards, a center and two wild cards from their conference, and aren't allowed to vote for their own players.
Coach Scott Brooks looked for players that impact the game at both ends when filling out his ballot. The results will be announced Thursday.
"I follow the league," he said. "I pretty much know who scores, who rebounds and who passes. I can pretty much get pretty close. Name a guy and I can probably tell you what he's averaging, if he's considered an All-Star.
"If you follow the league, you know. I've always been that way as a player. I would scour every team's box score and know who's playing well."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "That feels good, but we can't worry about other teams. As long as we keep getting better, that's the biggest thing." -- Forward Kevin Durant, on no longer having the league's worst record.
