Oklahoma City Thunder players behind Brooks as seat smolders

OKLAHOMA CITY, April 17 (UPI) -- With three of its star players missing a combined 88 games, a trio that averaged nearly 65 percent of its points per game last season, most would predict a record regression for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Yet Thunder brass are considering replacing coach Scott Brooks with Florida's Billy Donovan, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.

Enter said Thunder players, reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka, running to the skipper's defense.

"Why are you going to fire him?" Ibaka told hoopshype.com. "What has he done? Injuries were not his fault. Why would he go? He has not done anything, he's not responsible for the injuries. He did his best with the team he had. Would other coach do better with a team with so many injuries? What could (Scott Brooks) possibly do about it? The team is with him. You can't blame him for what has happened."

Ibaka averaged 15.1 points per game last season, while Westbrook averaged 21.8 points and Durant averaged 32 points.

"As a coach and as a friend, I think he does a great job," Westbrook told Anthony Slater.

The Thunder (45-37) missed the playoffs for the first time in six years this year and has averaged 48.2 wins in Brooks' seven-year tenure. Brooks, the 2009 NBA coach of the year, has led the Thunder to an underwhelming 39-34 playoff record, including the 2011 Western Conference crown.