Practice Report: Off and running
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Today was officially the first day of work for the 2012-13 installment of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team began training camp at the Integris Health Thunder Developmental Center, working an extra long session.
After the jump, post-practice comments from Scott Brooks, Kevin Durant and Nick Collison:
SCOTT BROOKS
On the first practice: “It was great. A great practice. Like I’ve told our coaches, I think everybody that’s opened up camp will say the same thing. There should be 30 teams that feel good about their first day because if you don’t, it’s a long season if you don’t. But I felt like our guys did a good job competing and carrying over from what we know as a unit the ‘Thunder knowledge’ as I like to say, in all our coverages and offensive sets.”
On practice participation: “Perk did probably half the practice, but all the non-contact stuff. Thabo did probably about half of the practice with contact. So everybody did a real good job staying real competitive and getting after each other.”
On Eric Maynor: “It’s been great. He’s put a lot of time in getting his body right to open up camp on the first day. I give him a lot of credit and our staff a lot of credit. He played well. Coming back from the knee injury he really put the time in with our staff to be in the position to open up camp. I thought he was good. A couple of parts of practice it was just like the old Eric, just going out there and competing and really facilitating the team. But he was good.”
KEVIN DURANT
On the first practice: “It was good. Good to get back out there with the guys, coaches. It was day one, so just got to keep pushing.”
On taking Perry Jones under his wing: “I think he’s going to be a very important part of what we do here. Just trying to help him out as much as possible. Just like the guys when I was that age, when I just came in to the league, helping me out. Just trying to be a help and trying to be a good leader. The sky’s the limit for Perry and I’m excited he’s on our team.”
On if he’s gotten stronger: “I hope so, I hope so. I guess we’ll know when we start banging during the season. I feel a little bit bigger. And coach is going to put me down low a little more at the 4. So I gotta be stronger to guard those guys. I’m just looking forward to doing what I can to help this team.”
NICK COLLISON
On the first practice: “It was a good first day. But everybody in the league probably had a good first day. The key is to be able to do it all year long.”
On the backup centers: “They had a good first day. They played with energy, which is big. Like I said, it was just the first day and you’ve got to do it all year long. But they had a good first day.”
On being more aggressive with his jumper: “Yeah I think so. I want to look for open shots and be an option. The way teams play us they jump pick-and-rolls and we have to be able to throw out and hit shots. I hit shots last year and I just want to make some more opportunities for myself.”
