Oklahoma City Thunder: 5 keys to series vs. Jazz

5. Run

The Oklahoma City Thunder are at their best when they are in transition. If Westbrook hauls in the rebound, he has the ball on the floor, looking up at his options before most of the opposition is out of its offensive mindset. He needs no invitation to run.

Corey Brewer is still one of the fastest players in the NBA today and his ability to run on transition has caused more than one headache for opposing coaches this year.

The problem for the opposition is it makes Westbrook dangerous from anywhere on the court. He will try and make the pass ahead for a bucket. He rarely turns the ball over on these plays. Brewer also gets to position in the corner quickly too, taking a defender away from the paint in transition.

Steven Adams also likes to run. Once the rebound is secured, Adams is running as hard as he can to make himself available for an easy bucket. As this does not allow the defense to get set, there is a strong chance of him being fouled, meaning the Thunder can get to the line, hopefully getting into the bonus early.

This also has the impact of getting inside the Jazz players’ heads. If they get in foul trouble, they are not going to be able to defend with the same intensity, meaning easier shots for the Thunder in the half-court offense.