Oklahoma City Thunder notebook: Kevin Martin credits health for hot start

“Health,” Martin explained. “I feel healthy right now. Last year I was bothered with the shoulder. I put in a lot of hard work this summer. When I got to Houston (at the start of the season), it was great from day one and I'm just trying to carry it over right now to the Thunder.”

Martin sustained a tear in his right shoulder last season, an injury that plagued him for much of the year and caused his production to plummet well below his customary output.

ROUGH SHOOTING NIGHT FOR RUSSELL

Russell Westbrook never could find his rhythm against the Bulls.

After struggling with his shot throughout the game, Westbrook finished just 7-for-22 from the field and missed six of seven 3-point tries.

Westbrook scored 16 points with 12 assists and had just two turnovers in his 36 minutes.

It was a performance that continued a mystifying trend defined by Westbrook following one good game with one bad one. But Thunder coach Scott Brooks saw Thursday's outing differently.

“I thought he had just an all-around great game,” Brooks said. “He didn't shoot the ball well. But what Russell does is he plays hard; he fights through screens. He was really good defensively. He set a good screen to (allow) Kevin (Durant) to get open on the big 2 … I thought he had one of his best games.”

MORE THUNDER TURNOVERS

Once again, the Thunder had a game marred by a ton of turnovers.

OKC had 22 on Thursday night. They led to 19 Bulls points.

Durant's struggles with ball security continued for the fifth straight game, as he finished with six giveaways. He now has 26 through five games, a 5.2 average.

But the turnovers didn't torture the Thunder as much Thursday because Chicago had 21, which OKC turned into 20 points.