Thunder's Brooks ready to increase Durant's minutes

Kevin Durant has boosted the Oklahoma City Thunder to five straight wins and a 5-1 record since returning to the lineup two weeks ago, and that was while playing just 28-30 minutes per night.

Now Durant will see his minutes increased, beginning on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns, head coach Scott Brooks said.

The reigning MVP cleared one hurdle in his return from surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his right foot when he suited up in back-to-back games on Thursday and Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves. Now he'll leap another one with an uptick in his minutes.

Durant has averaged 20.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.0 blocks through six games thus far this season, but he has yet to log more than 30:07 in a game. Barring a blowout on Sunday, that should change against the Suns.

The Thunder enter Sunday's game only 1.5 games behind the Suns for the eighth and final playoff spot in the early Western Conference standings.