OKLAHOMA CITY - Thunder general manager Sam Presti is aware of coach Scott Brooks critics. An NBA Finals appearance in 2012 fueled expectations, so when San Antonio beat the Thunder in Oklahoma City this season to close out the Western Conference finals, it didnt go over well with some locals in this era of winning coaches getting fired. Naysayers also believe Brooks offensive strategy gives point guard Russell Westbrook too much freedom at the expense of MVP Kevin Durant. Presti did his best to squelch the talk on Thursday. After all, he said, the Thunder finished with the second-best record in the NBA this season, despite numerous injuries to key players. "Scotty, I think, did an excellent job," Presti said. "I understand, we all have a tendency to look at the last game and the last series. I respect it. Thats part of sports. I cant do that." Brooks took over for P.J. Carlesimo during the 2008-09 season and led the team to a 22-47 record. The team has won at least 61 per cent of its games each season since. Brooks has a 293-170 record with the Thunder. "Hes stacking successful seasons on top of each other, increasing our odds to take a really unique amount of time that weve been successful and extend it to a very, very unique amount of time," Presti said. Durant said this week that he feels Brooks is the man to keep things moving. "Thats our guy," Durant said. "Im riding with him." Brooks has praised Westbrook while often publicly pointing out his three-time All-Stars need to find a balance between shooting and passing when he attacks. Westbrook also spoke highly of Brooks this week. "Hes done a great job of having confidence in me personally," Westbrook said. "Theres times when things have gone south and hes the only one that always — regardless of what happened — always had my back. Regardless if people were saying I was doing this or doing that, I was being selfish, he always was the first person to step up and have my back and support me regardless of whats going on." Brooks will have plenty to work with. Durant is signed through 2015-16, and Westbrook and defensive ace Serge Ibaka are signed through 2016-17. Backup centre Steven Adams figures to be a prominent part of the future. The 20-year-old from New Zealand improved dramatically late in the regular season while Kendrick Perkins was out with an injury, then continued to get better in the playoffs. Presti sees Adams talent, but says he has work ahead. Perkins is still a solid defender, but his offensive limitations allow defences to pay more attention to Durant and Westbrook. When Presti was asked about the amnesty clause, which allows a team to waive one player without his salary counting against the cap or luxury tax, he hesitated before offering perspective. He said though Adams was solid against the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio, Perkins played a key role in the grueling seven-game series against Memphis. Presti said he wouldnt consider waiving or trading Perkins unless it could help the team strategically long term. Shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha is an unrestricted free agent who lost his starting job during the playoffs. Caron Butler, a mid-season pickup, is an unrestricted free agent. He had his moments, but was out of the rotation by the end of the playoffs. The team has the option to keep Hasheem Thabeet, a 7-foot-3 backup centre. Thabeet played little, even while Perkins was injured. Presti was non-committal in each case. Presti seemed uncertain what unrestricted free agent Derek Fisher will do, but said he will be successful whatever he decides. The 39-year-old guard has been connected to the New York Knicks head coaching job. "We have absolutely no reason to expect Derek to keep us informed of his plans," Presti said. "The only thing we have a right to do is to support him because hes left an impact here in a positive way." __ Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP Where to Buy Cheap Jerseys . The 10-year deal the league and players agreed to that ended the 2011 lockout gave either side the right to opt out after six years. With the league projecting financial growth, there has been speculation that players will take that option in three years, especially since a new national TV contract will be in place by then. What is the best site to buy team jerseys from China . According the CSNBayArea.com, the 31-year-old suffered an ACL injury in his right knee on Friday when he collided with Anaheims Emerson Etem during a pre-season game. https://www.wheretobuycheapjerseys.com/. Marian Gaborik had two goals and an assist and Martin Jones made just 17 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season as the Kings snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-0 victory over the lowly Oilers on Thursday. How to Buy Cheap Jerseys . Bjoerndalen, who had failed to win any major race for two years before Sochi, writes in a Facebook entry that he is "full of energy and inspiration" after winning the 10-kilometre sprint and mixed relay at last months Olympics. What is the best Chinese web site for cheap Jerseys . He made another correct read. The Browns, who have been shuttling quarterbacks on and off the field all season, finally got some good news on that front: Campbells ribs are only bruised.London, England (SportsNetwork.com) - Matt Prater booted his second chance through the uprights as time expired and the Detroit Lions grabbed a 22-21 victory over the Atlanta Falcons to cap an incredible comeback at Wembley Stadium in London. A one-sided first half saw the Lions enter the break trailing by 21 points, but they scored a pair of touchdowns and field goals in the second half, with a failed two-point attempt leaving the team trailing by two. Getting the ball back with 1:38 to play, Matthew Stafford hit Golden Tate for 32 yards on the first snap. A 20-yard one-handed catch from Theo Riddick and 10-yard grab by Jeremy Ross got the ball down to the Atlanta 31. Prater eventually lined up for a 43-yard try with just four seconds left and missed it to the right, but a delay of game call on Detroit moved the ball back five yards and gave him one more chance. The second time, he hit the 48-yarder just inside the left upright as the much-maligned field goal unit gave the Lions a victory. Matts pretty cool under pressure, said Detroit head coach Jim Caldwell. Prater is Detroits third kicker on the season as the team had let go of Nate Freese after he went 3-for-7, then Alex Henery after he went just 1-for-5, including an 0-for-3 effort in a 17-14 home loss to Buffalo in Week 5. Stafford went 24-for-47 for 325 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while Tate finished with seven catches for 151 yards and a score for the Lions (6-2), who have won three straight. We just keep finding ways to win these games, said Tate. Matt Ryan was 20-for-27 for 228 yards with two scores and an interception for the Falcons (2-6), losers of five in a row. This tied the largest blown lead in team history for Atlanta, as the team also let this happen on Nov. 23, 2003 against Tennessee. The Lions began the second half with the ball and converted three third downs, with the biggest of them a 28-yard catch by Tate. The team eventually had a 1st-and-goal at the 9, but had to settle for a 22-yard field goal from Matt Prater to make it a 21-3 game. After a three-and-out, Detroit got the ball back, but found themselves in a deep hole as a holding penalty and blindside hit flag pushed them back to a 2nd-and-35. Stafford, though, was able to go deep on third down for a wide open Tate, who caught the ball along the right sideline and took it in for a 59-yard score to make it a 21-10 game with 4:38 to play in the third. That touchdown was Staffords 119th in his career, passing Bobby Layne for first place in franchise history. On Atlantas ensuing drive, Ryan was under pressure and threw an ill-advised pass to his right that was picked off by Cassius Vaughn, who took the ball 45 yards down to the Atlanta 7, being kept from scoring on a tackle by Julio Jones. The Atlanta defense held firm,, though, and a 20-yard field goal from Prater made it a 21-13 game less than a minute into the fourth quarter.dddddddddddd Following another brief possession from Atlanta, the Lions went on another scoring drive to make it a one-score game. On 2nd-and-goal at the Atlanta 5, Stafford rolled out to his right and hit Riddick in the flat and he went in to make it a two-point game. The two-point conversion attempt failed, though, as Staffords pass to Tate fell incomplete with 3:56 to play. Atlanta was able to convert a couple of first downs and had forced the Lions to burn out all their timeouts. After the two-minute warning, Steven Jackson was stopped on a run on second down, but a penalty call to Atlanta stopped the clock. Ryan then went to his left for a quick pass to Jones, but the normally sure-handed receiver dropped the easy catch and Atlanta had to punt the ball back to Detroit. Atlanta started the game with the ball and swiftly moved down the field, converting a 3rd-and-8 on a 24-yard catch from Roddy White, who had a 12-yard grab a few plays later. On 2nd-and-goal at the 7, Ryan tossed a short pass out to his right for Devonta Freeman, who made a one-handed grab and raced into the end zone for his first career touchdown. A 20-yard punt return from Devin Hester following Detroits first touch gave the Flacons the ball near midfield to begin their second touch. After a 16- yard catch from Harry Douglas on 3rd-and-8, a pass interference call gave the Falcons a 1st-and-goal at the 1. The next snap saw Ryan use play-action before softly tossing the ball to the back of the end zone where a wide open Bear Pascoe came down with his first catch and score of the season for a 14-0 lead with 2:53 left in the first. In the second quarter, the Falcons added to their lead on a 1-yard touchdown run from Jackson to make it a 21-0 game. They caught a break earlier in the drive, as an interception return for a touchdown by Detroit was called back due to a penalty. Getting the ball back with 3:45 to play, the Lions drove down the field and got the ball to the Atlanta 35, their furthest penetration of the game. Stafford, though, was picked off by Robert Alford and Atlanta was able to end the half with a 21-point lead. Game Notes Detroit has off next week and will host Miami on Nov. 9 ... Atlanta also has off next week before a road match in Tampa Bay ... The Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars will play in London in Week 10 ... Detroit defensive tackle Nick Fairley left the game in the second quarter with a right knee injury ... Atlanta had won the previous three meetings with Detroit, but the Lions lead the series, 24-12 ... Jackson finished the game with 60 yards on 18 carries ... Riddick had 74 yards on eight receptions. ' ' '