Thunder need Adams for offense
OKLAHOMA CITY — Steven Adams’ entertainment value propelled him to near star level to many during the postseason.
The 23-year-old New Zealand native bruises opponents near the rim and has his own fashion sense. His long hair and mustache — making him one of the “Stache Brothers” with teammate Enes Kanter — endear Adams to fans.
And his media availability is almost like a comedy show.
“I saved a lot of money, though,” the Oklahoma City Thunder center says about not cutting his hair in more than a year.
Then he threw a jab at the reporter who asked how long it had been since his last haircut. “A lot longer than you.”
When a reporter asked if Adams felt like a wily veteran with the Thunder’s heavy amount of changes, he gave a serious answer loaded with humor.
“I’m one of the oldest — oh, that’s not good,” Adams said. “No, I feel still young. I still feel young. Well, being around Nick (Collison), you always feel young. He makes you feel young.
“I feel normal, man. It’s all the same. It’s good having this different kind of approach to ... teach them kind of new things. They are giving me a bit of responsibility to kind of teach them stuff, so that’s a big role in that. I feel like a father, so congratulations to me.”
After a breakout postseason on the court, Adams is going to be relied on heavily to carry a different Thunder team minus 2014 MVP Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka.
“Anytime your personnel changes at all, I think offensively you have to evolve based on your personnel,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan says. “You want to think, ‘How can I best maximize this player?’”
For Adams, that’s continuing to build from the postseason.
He was already a blossoming defensive force, but suddenly he became crucial on the offensive end.
Adams shot 61.3% from the field in both the regular season and playoffs. But he averaged 10.1 points and 9.5 rebounds in the playoffs, an increase of more than two points and about three rebounds per game.
“Steven, there’s not many bigs that can do what he can do in a night-in, night-out basis,” Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook told reporters in August. “Some of the things he does is obviously not in the stat sheet, but he does a great job just being physical, being big, using his size. Steven has gotten better.”
Adams now has a chance to have a great impact on offense for an entire season.
Westbrook and Victor Oladipo are expected to be effective guards. The combination of Adams with Kanter can be an offensive force, too.
Westbrook and Adams have great chemistry with the pick-and-roll. And Westbrook often finds Adams in transition, a rare trait for a 7-footer.
“One thing he’s doing, he’s just enjoying basketball, man,” Kanter says. “He’s working hard. He’s enjoying basketball, and he’s just working hard and just going out there and doing his job. He doesn’t worry about stats. He just wants to win and (be) the best he wants to be, and I think he’s doing a really good job.”
Adams says he was not looking to change his approach, even with his role perhaps expanding.
“It’s all the same stuff, bro,” Adams says. “I’m just going to show up and play, regardless. Just keep that same mind-set. I think it’s the same with the team as well.”
He was then asked if he was more comfortable with the ball in his hands.
“Whatever he says, bro,” Adams says, referring to Donovan. “I’ll just give it a good crack at it. Hopefully it goes well.”
Adams has developed the ability to defend on the perimeter, against the pick-and-roll and in the low post, making him incredibly versatile.
Those were traits he learned playing alongside Ibaka and former teammate Kendrick Perkins, another fan favorite known for his inside presence as a defender.
But even Adams concedes he has work to do to reach the level the Thunder expect in trying to make a playoff push with a new-look roster.
“I still need to study,” Adams says, “read a lot of books.”