Ball Movement and Chemistry Aid in OKC Thunder Game 2 Win

A lot went right for the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals, but a total of 31 assists and nine turnovers on 50 made field goals might be at the top of that list.

It all started with the Thunder assisting on seven of their first nine field goals without a turnover. That trend continued as the game progressed, passing up decent shots for even better shots one pass later.

The level of unselfishness was clear for Oklahoma City from the get-go, which appeared to be a part of its response plan after a Game 1 defeat. They posted 27 assists and 11 turnovers on 42 made field goals in the opening game of the series, only slightly worse than the following performance. However, an argument could be made that the Thunder were attempting better shots in their most recent victory compared to the first.

To nobody's surprise, the leading man in the assists category was guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He led the team with eight assists, followed by forward Jalen Williams with seven and center Isaiah Hartenstein with five. Outside of those three, seven of the remaining 11 players on the roster recorded one assist or more by the time the game had ended.

When it came to keeping the offense flowing, Gilgeous-Alexander and Hartenstein were instrumental. Hartenstein has long been a vital offensive hub for the Thunder, with both his passing and screening ability. That same skillset was on display against Denver on Wednesday night, creating space with his body to find open cutters and teammates.

Gilgeous-Alexander used his drive-and-kick abilities to find his open teammates. He's always been able to move the ball while in the air or attacking downhill, which is even more impactful now given the defensive attention he draws.

The combination of those two, along with the rest of the roster, truly showed off their chemistry on Wednesday. They were connected and making excellent decisions throughout the whole game, which allowed them to put their surreal amount of points on the scoreboard.

Another part of this is the way Oklahoma City shot the ball. Being able to go 56.2% from the field and 44.4% from the perimeter isn't a luxury some teams have and it seemed like the Thunder were never going to miss. Everyone got in on the scoring, which, in some ways, meant the assists were flowing as well.

OKC won't always shoot that well and that's ok. If their ball movement stays as sound as it was in Game 2 and they can continue to find open looks, they won't have to shoot lights out every single night.

They'll have the opportunity to do so again against the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 on Friday at 9 p.m. CT on Denver's home court.