Thunder notebook: Kobe Bryant is top choice, followed by Kevin Durant

POINTS IN PAINT

Though fast-break points were a 9-9 draw in Game 1, the Nuggets dominated the paint and outscored the Thunder 46-28.

“The No. 1 thing is we have to get back in transition,” Brooks said. “This team is fast. They have multiple players who can handle the ball and attack the basket. Nene is as good of a running big that there is in basketball. We have to get back. They were scoring a bunch of points in the first half in the paint.

“That's what they do. They led the league in scoring not just by shooting jump shots. They get to the free-throw line. We have to cut off those points in the paint. That's always been our game plan.”

NO-NO NENE

Denver center Nene had 22 points that came on 9-for-11 shooting in Game 1.

“Our pick-and-roll coverage has to be better,” Thunder reserve power forward Nick Collison said. “He got a lot of drop-offs because we didn't guard the ball at the point of the ball very well, and in transition, too. I think he had three or four in transition, where we just didn't get him picked up and didn't get him covered.”

QUOTABLE

Karl when asked if Seattle's history should be recognized in Oklahoma City: “That's a sensitive bag of worms right there, baby.”