Thunder's Brooks on Durant, Westbrook: 'They looked good ... they're progressing well'

The undermanned Oklahoma City Thunder are digging themselves a hole from which they may not be able to escape from in the unforgiving Western Conference. 

Though, help from their ailing superstars may be on the way.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook took part in non-contact portions of the team's practice Saturday, and head coach Scott Brooks sounded positive afterwards.

“They looked good,” Brooks said, as reported by The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry. “They’ve been with the group the whole time, but (Saturday) was the first day they’ve actually participated in some of the drills. It wasn’t the entire practice.”

“They’re progressing well," Brooks added. "I’m sure in the next couple of days they’re going to continue to add more to it.”

Durant has been sidelined since undergoing preseason surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his right foot, while Westbrook suffered a right hand fracture during the Thunder's Oct. 30 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Both will be reevaluated next week, and The Oklahoman's Anthony Slater reported on Friday that "a return by the end of next week – particularly for Westbrook - isn’t out of the question."

At 3-11, the Thunder find themselves dead last in the Western Conference and already 5.5 games behind the eighth and final playoff spot. If it takes 49 wins to make the playoffs in the West, as it did last season, the Thunder would have to go 46-22 from this point forward. That's a winning percentage of .676.

With 68 games to go and Durant and Westbrook getting closer, OKC is far from out of the picture, particularly when you consider that they have won over 70 percent of their games in the previous three seasons. But that would still require some work before Durant and Westbrook return, and that's also assuming the two All-NBA talents remain healthy once they do.

Despite the team's desperate need for reinforcements, Brooks reaffirmed Saturday that they will not be rushing any players back before they are completely ready.

"Obviously we have some catching up to do," Brooks said. "But we’re never going to put our players in a situation that ‘we need you to get out here’ when they’re not ready to be out on the court.”

In addition to Durant and Westbrook, Thunder rookie big man Mitch McGary remains sidelined recovering from a foot fracture, while forward Perry Jones III is dealing with a bruised knee.