If the ultimate compliment is one that comes from your peers, Thunder coach Scott Brooks should be pleased to hear the praise Denver Nuggets coach George Karl showered him with before Wednesday's game.
"I do feel that Scott's doing a good job," Karl said. "He's solidified what we thought, we all thought he could be a good coach. And I think he's in a tough situation and has kept his team focused, kept his team playing hard, which if I was running (that) team, I'd put down notes that it's not the Xs and Os, it's getting your team to play the right way and play hard night in and night out. And he's done that with Oklahoma City." Brooks coached under Karl in Denver from 2003-06.
ATKINS HAS NO HARD FEELINGS TOWARD Nuggets
Guard Chucky Atkins considered Wednesday's trip to Denver "just another game" despite being traded from the Nuggets along with a first-round pick on Jan. 9 in exchange for Johan Petro.
"I don't have hard feelings or ill will towards the people in Denver," Atkins said. "They did what they had to do. It was a business decision. They needed to save money. They felt like George wasn't going to play me because of my (injury) situation...I'll be happy to get in and get it over with and get to Phoenix so I can golf."
COLLISON SITS OUT ANOTHER GAME WITH GROIN INJURY
Nick Collison missed his second straight game because of a sore groin. He is listed as day-to-day but might return Saturday at Phoenix.
"He is getting better," said Brooks. "A day off (today) will definitely help him, and then having a couple a days after (will as well). I look forward to seeing how he improves the next two days, and who knows, maybe Saturday night."
