OKC Thunder G1 loss, 3 takeaways: bench disparity, fastbreak absence, Dort missed

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 18: Eric Gordon #10 of the Houston Rockets controls the ball against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the OKC Thunder (Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images) /

What transition?

This shouldn’t have been a surprise to Billy Donovan and his coaching staff because it’s right there in the NBA statistics for everyone to view. Surely the Thunder have even better statistical analysis to use but this one stat at least to us offered an opportunity.

That’s the Rockets’ transition defense. Although they got smaller with the adoption of going fully small ball they aren’t a particularly strong transition defense team.

As we noted in our 5 keys to victory article, the Rockets rank 27th in the association for opponent points scored in the fast break.

When you combine that with Houston ranking 24th on turnovers and their inability to measure up in rebounding it should equate to lots of fast-break scoring right? …

WRONG – the OKC Thunder scored — two fast-break points — TWO. That is entirely unacceptable especially when they outrebounded the Rockets 58-41.

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