--If the players got to vote, it appears they would want interim coach Scott Brooks to get the job fulltime. The Oklahoman newspaper polled all 15 players and 13, including Kevin Durant, were in favor of Brooks returning next season. Chucky Atkins declined to comment and Russell Westbrook was noncommittal.
General manger Sam Presti had tabled any contract talk until after the season. While not discussing this status, Brooks is proud of the job he's done. "We've improved every month of the season, and when we judge our team's improvement it's not just the record," Brooks said. "It's how we compete. It's how we execute. It's how we make winning basketball plays.
"And every player I feel has gotten better. They're maturing as basketball players. They're understanding situations. I see a lot of great things. But we still have to have a great summer and continue to work hard and stay humble."
--Scott Brooks has challenged rookie point guard Russell Westbrook to make across-the-board improvements over the summer. That includes shooting, passing, ball handling, defense and decision-making.
"He's going to have to really step up and have a great summer," Brooks said. "He can't rest on the year that he has had. I believe that at a young age you shouldn't just work on one area, you should get better on all areas of the game."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's been doing a great job for us. I think if he has a full training camp with us and a preseason he could do some good things. Hopefully we give him a chance and he's the coach here for the future." -- Kevin Durant, on interim coach Scott Brooks.
