NBA Best Practices: Oklahoma City Thunder Tap Into Real Time Photography

What was the game like?

That's a question I'll often catch myself asking of a friend who went to a game I missed. And, if I'm the one who went to the game, I'm quick to want to share my experience.

Facebook has thrived by tapping into these experiences, making it easy for people to connect with friends in ways they want to do.

The Oklahoma City Thunder recognize this and feed the engine, via Facebook...

The journey begins on the OKC Thunder Facebook page (linked here, shown below). You'll note the images below, coming quickly after the Thunder's big road win in Game 3 of the 1st Round of this year's Playoffs...

Clicking in takes us here, to the album, appropriately entitled, "Thunder defeats Nuggets in Game 3. April 23, 2011"...

The images (check the one below) are emotional and fitting. The timing is instantaneous -- immediately after the game. And, naturally, this is set up for easy sharing to your friends.

Which is a lot of why this is fantastic. The game is going on and most of us can't be there. So the Thunder take this into account, posting the most captivating imagery they can into this stream, immediately after the game.

Scroll through your news feed and, in the same window of time where your friends are likely celebrating (or voicing frustration) on the game, the Thunder deliver the visual firepower you desire. They leverage their access to give you what you crave, when you crave it.

Well done.

How could this be better? I'd love to see a gallery post before each game. Give me shots of the team getting off the bus, getting taped, hitting the court for the first time, etc. It's access, but as a fan prepares emotionally for the game there's something amazing about realizing you are on the same (albeit also dramatically different) journey as the team. And, of course, those images hit your news feed, at the same time you are likely to voice your "Go Thunder" message... Timely and Authentic, plus it'd be delivered in the same style you would use to connect with a friend!

Come back tomorrow as we check out another best practice from the NBA. And as always, you can follow me on Twitter (I'm @pawlow34) or on Facebook (Digital Hoops Blast).

Thanks!

Andy