OKLAHOMA CITY — The Thunder is calling out its fans.
Sort of.
Last season’s first-round playoff series against the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers had a frenzied atmosphere when the Thunder played at home. The Thunder had even more success this season and earned home-court advantage for its first-round series against the Nuggets.
Can the home crowd be even better this season?
“I’m not sure they can do that,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “That level is the best I’ve ever seen. If they can just get to that level again, that would be a great home- court crowd that we have. All season long, they’re there. It doesn’t matter if it’s during the week, a weekend game, a great team or a team that has a bad record. We know that they’re there.
“They’re supporting our guys for the last three years. But that playoff atmosphere last year, I can’t imagine it getting any better than that. If it does, that would blow all of us away and we’re going to have to readjust because it’s going to overwhelm us the first three minutes of the game.”
Thunder star Kevin Durant smiled when asked about the Oklahoma City fans. “I don’t see how they could be any louder,” he said.
No nervousness.
If Thunder players are nervous, it hasn’t shown at the end of their practice sessions. The NBA’s third-youngest team, which Brooks refers to as “Thunder U.,” is as jovial as ever.
“I can count on one hand out of 77 practices where they were not very good,” Brooks said. “That’s a great thing to say about our team. They have fun. I have fun coaching this team. I love doing what I do. I’m not going to stand up here and say this is a bad job, that it’s not fun to do. It is tough, but I have fun doing it. I love what I do and our guys do the same.”
Scoreboard specials.
This has the potential to be a fast- paced series. But both teams will be guarding against it.
The Nuggets led the NBA in scoring this season, averaging 107.5 points. The Thunder ranked fifth (104.8 average).
Asked what he can do to prevent the other team from running, 6-foot-10, 280-pound Thunder center Kendrick Perkins said: “Nothing personally. I know as a team we can’t turn the ball over. If we don’t turn the ball over, make them play 24 seconds of defense and not take quick shots, that’s to our advantage.”
Brooks said the Nuggets are “a terrific running team. They pass, move the ball. They get up and down the court. They’re a great 3-point shooting team. They get to the free-throw line. They score points in the paint. We have to cut those things off and that’s what will make us successful. We don’t want to play a game that’s going to be one-way runners.”
Quotable.
“He’s a tough-minded coach. He doesn’t let other coaches bother him. He focuses on what needs to be done. He’s won a lot of games in this league.” — Brooks, on Denver’s George Karl
