OKC Thunder: Kendrick Perkins decided he would cover Dirk Nowitzki

Perkins instructed Serge Ibaka to guard center Ian Mahinmi so Perkins could take a crack at Nowitzki.

OKC coach Scott Brooks confirmed Perkins and Ibaka often are allowed to decide who guards whom.

“I know Serge was battling with him (Nowitzki) the whole game, so sometimes it helps to take some of the pressure off him,” Perkins said. “I just tell Serge, ‘I got him. You stay back and protect the rim.'

“Serge did a good job on him, but at the time we needed Serge to do what he do best, and that's protect the paint, so I just figured I'd lock in and defend him (Nowitzki) right then.

“We need Serge to be the rim protector. We need him to anchor the paint … because I know that if I run him (Nowitzki) off his shot and he drives, you got Serge there.”

‘BLIND' AMBITION

Mavericks forward Shawn Marion said he defended three-time scoring champ Kevin Durant so closely he wasn't convinced Durant could even see the rim on his game-winning 15-footer with 1.5 seconds left.

Turns out, Marion might have been correct.

“I took a glance at it,” Durant said with a smile after Sunday's practice. “I've taken so many shots since I've been playing this game, you kind of know where the rim is. You kind of know where you are on the floor and I've been working on that pull-up for a while.

“It was a difficult shot over two guys, but Shawn Marion did a great job of contesting and I got that bounce. I'm glad it went in for me.”

SENSE OF CALM

As you might expect with a defending world champion, there is no sense of panic with the Mavericks after Game 1's difficult defeat.

“We're going to be ready to play,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said after Sunday's practice and film session at The Peake. “We're looking forward to it. We like playing here. This is a tough place to play, but the atmosphere is great.