NBA 2017-18 Season: Top 5 Teams in transition scoring
When teams get out and run, trying to outpace the opposition on their way to a quick bucket, that's when transition offense begins to take shape in a basketball game.
It usually is initiated by a block or a rebound followed by a quick outlet pass, catching the opposing team off-guard. In all the cases possible, it upgrades the efficiency of the team on the offensive end of the floor.
Transition offense generates from a strong backline of defense which can stop the opposition in its path. Active hands on defense are a boon for the teams who like to run and capitalize on a turnover, and extract the most out of the fastbreak realm.
The following teams led the effort in fastbreak scoring for the league last season and were the most lethal to commit a turnover against. Let's take a look at the dynamics and versatility involved in making such a rhythmic(yet fast-paced at the same time) style of play successful.
#5 New Orleans Pelicans - 20.8 points per game
Pelicans Coach Alvin Gentry preaches that fast break is all about consistent rhythm rather than just running all-out. All that matters for him is that the players run into their spacing straight out of transition.
Just like all the other experts of the game, Gentry knows in order to be able to have a high percentage transition offense, a competitive line of defense is a must. And having two of the best big men in the league protecting the rim would have helped his cause.
The New Orleans Pelicans had 19.4 possessions in transition per game(more often than all but three teams in the NBA.) during the last season and a transition frequency of 17.4%(5th most in the league), scoring 1.07 point per possession in transition.
Moreover, the presence of Jordan Crawford played a huge part as he averaged 3.4 fastbreak points per game last year. To put things into perspective, his fastbreak points per 36 minutes (5.2) was comparable with NBA stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James and John Wall.