Thunder Near Top of the NBA in Pace, Transition Points

Oklahoma City is one of the fastest teams in the NBA once again, buying into Mark Daigneault's offensive philosophies.

It's no secret Oklahoma City wants to get up and down the court in a hurry.

Last season, we saw bits and pieces of Mark Daigneault's transition philosophies, including running the floor on made baskets and set plays out of made free throws. Whether it's a defensive rebound or an in-bounds pass, the Thunder look to run full steam ahead. 

Overall, the Thunder ranks fourth in the NBA in average pace per game, meaning the team loves to run in transition and speed up the game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is nearly automatic around the rim, and when he gets the ball going downhill he's almost impossible to stop.

In addition to netting a top pace rating, Oklahoma City backs up the stat by ranking third in the NBA in transition points. The Thunder is scoring 26.5 points per game in transition, trailing only the Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers.

Gilgeous-Alexander ranks No. 2 in the NBA in individual points in transition per game. He's averaging 7.3 points per contest out in front of the break. Jalen Williams and Lu Dort are both slotted in at 4.0 points per game in transition.

The full-on transition attack fits the Thunder's team mold and fits well with the personnel. Aside from Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey is a fantastic connector in transition and has done his part to start the break, too. Jalen Williams is a high flier that finishes transition attacks often and allows the Thunder a lob threat down the floor.

Chet Holmgren is faster and more agile than most centers in the NBA, which has given the team a boost in that category early on too.

Pushing the ball in transition is one of the reasons why Oklahoma City has been successful early on. Don't expect it to let up anytime soon.

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