Oklahoma City Thunder second-year big man Steven Adams is known for doing the dirty work. No young player in the NBA is more likely to incite a fracas than the native New Zealander. Unlike most league provocateurs, though, Adams somehow manages to keep a cool head while playing his notorious brand of overly physical basketball. This bone-crushing screen he set on Memphis Grizzlies rookie Jordan Adams – no relation, by the way – isn’t a dirty play, but further indication that his basketball understanding and nuance is far better than it was last season.
Boom. What a screen.
We feel for Memphis’ rookie. Hey Kosta Koufos, think you could help your young teammate by calling out the back-screen? The Grizzlies’ Adams was nearly decapitated.
The extremely encouraging thing for the Thunder is that their Adams is not only making relatively subtle plays like this one during the preseason, but going gangbusters on the box score, too. These numbers are absolutely ridiculous:
Steven Adams' preseason to date: 48 points on 20-23 shooting, in 60 minutes. Per 36, he's averaging 28.8 points on 87 percent shooting.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) October 15, 2014
And they’re also unsustainable, of course – Adams won’t come close to matching them come the regular season. If he develops into a legitimate offensive threat as pick-and-roll finisher, garbage man, and opportunistic post scorer, though, perhaps it’s finally time Kendrick Perkins will be supplanted in the Oklahoma City starting lineup.
Is Adams in for a breakout season this year?
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