OKC Thunder: Ranking the Most Intriguing Pick & Roll Combos
By Tony Heim
1. Russell Westbrook and Steven Adams
You saw the headlines over the offseason. Russ thinks Steven Adams is already an all-star caliber player. Adams is one of the main reasons why Russ signed that contract extension; he’s all-in on the Adams bandwagon. And so should we.
A proper, well-working basketball relationship requires true admiration between the pair. That facet is why this combination is so intriguing. Russ wants to see Adams succeed; that’s a big confidence boost for a 23-year old.
Adams has a rare blend of raw strength and mobility that you don’t normally find in seven-footers. He can set his screen past the three-point line because of his speed when rolling to the rim. This gives Westbrook optimal spacing to work in the lane; if he gets stuck he can rely on a rolling Adams being right behind him.
Russ at full-throttle creates the most force of any point guard according to my own scientific calculations. You can say the same about Adams, just switch point guard for center. There is not a team in the NBA that has the athleticism to cover both of these guys at the same time.
Adams’ usage rate is going to rise significantly this season because of this one play. Every time this duo is on the court a pick & roll should be ran. Adams ball skills are only improving with the more experience he gets. Expect Adams to have A LOT of experience running the pick & roll by the time the season is over.