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Thunder Wants to Keep Up High Level of Play

The Thunder put the work in during its five-day break, and although the dividends weren’t necessarily completely noticeable right off the bat, the team’s cohesion is shining through lately.

Head Coach Brooks’ team put in a morning of work at the University of Miami on Monday during a practice session to keep up its rhythm before Tuesday night’s contest against the Heat. Staying sharp and keeping the positive vibes going is the plan as the team continues its five-game road trip, the longest of the season.

Over the last four games, of which the Thunder has won three, Brooks’ squad has averaged 26.3 assists per game, which would rank second in the NBA for the season. Defense has been leading to easy offensive chances in transition, the ball has been moving and players flowing freely in half-court sets and shots have been falling. All of those factors translate into high assist numbers and even higher scoring numbers, as the Thunder has scored 127 points in each of its last two games.

“When we’re clicking like that, we’re hard to beat,” guard Andre Roberson said. “We need to learn how to play like that on a consistent basis and bring it every night. Our defense leads to our offense. I feel like we can get a lot more of that, and we should.”

Adams’ Passing Game Developing

During practice, every player works within the team concept, developing rhythm and timing with one another, but it becomes clear in the games which areas players are focusing on in individual drills. Second year center Steven Adams displayed one such aspect of his game on Sunday night in the Thunder’s emphatic victory over Orlando, dishing out three first quarter assists to help the offense stay humming.

Operating in either the high or low post, Adams seems adept at finding cutters on the baseline or near the rim. He still has plenty of work to do, but it is a positive development that can help the Thunder explore more ways to score.

“It’s day-by-day improvement with Steven,” Brooks said. “He’s had a couple of moments where he’s made a big jump and some periods where he’s leveled off. We’re always going to keep challenging him and getting him better. His passing is something we’ll look to keep improving just like his low post game.”

Roberson Finding His Niche

One beneficiary of Adams’ passing on Sunday night was Andre Roberson, who scored ten points on 3-for-4 shooting, including a 2-for-3 mark from the three-point line. Perhaps the most intriguing play, however, was when the Magic double-teamed Adams in the post, and instead of spacing out to the corner, Roberson found a seam in the defense and camped out in perfect position for Adams to fire a pass to him for an easy layup.

This understanding and developing skill will be integral moving forward for Roberson, who will be playing with creators like Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Reggie Jackson and Dion Waiters.

“It’s a learning process just like anything else,” Roberson explained. “It’s sometimes hard to read. It’s going to get better every night, when to cut and when to stay in the corner.”

Waiters Fitting in Well

One of Roberson’s fellow shooting guards on this Thunder squad is Waiters, who came to the team about two weeks ago and has instantly made an impact. Over the past four games, Waiters is averaging 17 points per contest on 51 percent shooting from the field and 46 percent shooting from the three-point line.

During that stretch, Waiters has also averaged just under two assists and just over two steals per game, impacting the game on both ends of the floor. More importantly, he’s immediately assimilated into the team. From engaging teammates in typical, good-natured banter about their favorite NFL teams to getting confidence and cheers from teammates on the bench, Waiters seems right at home.

“He’s a great guy overall, a great teammate and a Thunder guy,” Roberson said. “He’s a great addition to the team. He’s going to help us on and off the court. It should be fun.”