Views from OKC: Steven Adams is truly starting to worry me

Mar 26, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) drives to the basket as OKC Thunder center Steven Adams (12) defends during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Views from OKC is a daily diary about the current state of the OKC Thunder. Today we take a look at Steven Adams’ recent play.

Two points isn’t going to cut it from a player getting paid $25 million a year starting next season. Steven Adams has scored two points four times this season; three of those instances have come in the last 17 games.

A player like Adams – young and raw with translatable skills – is supposed to grow over the course of the season. Look at how Nikola Jokic and Rudy Gobert have increased their output post-All Star Break compared to Adams.

Nikola Jokic

Pre/Post All-Star	GP		PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	TOV	STL	BLK
Pre All-Star	49		16.3	6.6	11.3	58.0	0.6	1.7	36.5	2.5	3.1	81.6	3.1	5.8	9.0	4.3	2.1	0.8	0.8
Post All-Star	18		17.2	7.1	12.1	59.0	0.6	2.1	27.0	2.4	2.8	86.0	2.5	8.9	11.4	6.3	2.8	0.8	0.4

Rudy Gobert

Pre/Post All-Star	GP		PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	TOV	STL	BLK
Pre All-Star	57		12.9	4.5	7.1	63.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.9	5.9	66.2	3.9	8.8	12.6	1.0	1.8	0.7	2.5
Post All-Star	19		16.9	6.6	9.4	69.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.7	6.1	61.2	4.4	9.3	13.7	1.8	1.9	0.4	3.2

Steven Adams

Pre/Post All-Star	GP		PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	TOV	STL	BLK
Pre All-Star	55		12.2	5.0	8.7	57.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.2	3.2	67.4	3.5	4.5	7.9	1.1	2.0	1.1	1.1
Post All-Star	19		9.4	3.9	6.7	59.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.5	3.5	43.9	3.2	3.6	6.7	0.9	1.5	1.2	0.8

*Charts courtesy of NBA Stats

Granted, this is a small sample size. But a similar post-All Star Break trend comes up with virtually every young big man: Karl Anthony-Towns, Dario Saric, Jusuf Nurkic…the list goes on and on. It’s not that Adams’ offensive skills haven’t increased; his field goal percentage is slightly up. The problem is the Big Kiwi isn’t commanding the ball like a true franchise centerpiece.

MUST READ: The Kiwi Bible – The ultimate guide to Steven Adams

Adams’ usage percentage has dropped over two percentage points since the All-Star Break. With the acquisition of Taj Gibson we’ve seen less use of the Adams/Westbrook pick & roll as well as fewer isolation post-ups. Less touches have effected Adams’ play on the defensive end too.

The Big Kiwi’s defensive field-goal percentage this season is at it’s highest rate since his rookie season; the 47.7% is over five percentage points higher than last season. The numbers since the All-Star Break? 51.1%. His blocks per game have decreased since the ASB as well, from 1.1 per game to a measly .8.

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The belief behind Adams’ extension was that he would be the defensive anchor for the Thunder for the next five years. It turns out the 2016 Western Conference Finals may have been an anomaly. Adams has looked slower on the perimeter and softer on the post all season, yet that’s been amplified recently.

It could be a nagging injury that is causing these problems for the Big Kiwi. Throughout his young career the one thing fans have never been able to question is his effort and intensity on the floor. Lately our concerns have been justified though – the numbers back that up.

Whether it’s getting Adams more engaged on the offensive end or keeping him out of small-ball lineups, the Thunder have to figure out how to get more production from their $100 million man. Nurkic, Towns, Jokic, Gobert…these are Adams’ peers in the young big men debate.

Right now he’s losing that conversation.