▁Pr esti ▁fired ▁Car les imo , ▁and ▁h ired ▁assistant ▁coach ▁Scott ▁Bro oks ▁as ▁the ▁inter im ▁coach . ▁ ▁Under ▁Bro oks , ▁the ▁Th under ▁went ▁ 2 2 – 4 7 . ▁ ▁Pr esti ▁acquired ▁Th ab o ▁Se fol os ha ▁from ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Bull s ▁for ▁a ▁late ▁first - round ▁pick . ▁Pr esti ▁also ▁initi ated ▁a ▁trade ▁for ▁T ys on ▁Ch and ler ▁from ▁the ▁New ▁Orleans ▁Hor net s ▁for ▁two ▁back ups ▁( Chr is ▁Wil co x ▁and ▁Joe ▁Smith ), ▁but ▁the ▁trade ▁was ▁later ▁res c ind ed ▁because ▁Ch and ler ▁failed ▁his ▁required ▁physical . ▁ ▁Co ach ▁Bro oks ▁was ▁retained ▁and ▁in ▁Pr esti ' s ▁third ▁season ▁the ▁plan ▁began ▁to ▁provide ▁much ▁improved ▁results . ▁A ▁strong ▁defense ▁arose ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁Ass istant ▁Co ach ▁Ron ▁Adams . ▁ ▁Kevin ▁Durant , ▁whom ▁Pr esti ▁draft ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁became ▁the ▁league ' s ▁leading ▁sc orer ▁and ▁other ▁higher ▁draft ▁pick s ▁obtained ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁weak ▁seasons ▁and ▁a ▁few ▁veter ans ▁successfully ▁filled ▁roles ▁and ▁improved ▁the ▁team ' s ▁record ▁to ▁ 5 0 – 3 2 . ▁The ▁Th under ▁played ▁the ▁event ual ▁champion ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁L akers ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round , ▁forcing ▁them ▁to ▁six ▁games ▁before ▁losing , ▁ 4 – 2 . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 1