When OKC Thunder big man Steven Adams dictates offense flourishes
Why it works:
With a roster full of athletic bodies, Oklahoma City strive to play at pace and score easy buckets on the break. However this style of play comes with one serious drawback – when the game becomes a half-court affair, pace becomes redundant. Execution of half-court sets dictates whether a team wins when the game slows down.
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Allowing Adams to direct traffic on the low block provides OKC with a different avenue to attack from. For years, the Thunder have been criticized for its lack of offensive imagination, relying heavily on its stars to make plays in isolation rather than making the ball to do the work. With most NBA teams playing without a true center, players of Adams size and skill hold a significant advantage inside.
Should Oklahoma City allow Adams to dictate play on the block, opposing defenses are forced to make a decision:
- double team Adams on the block leaving someone open for a lay-up, dunk or 3-point attempt
- stay put on defensive assignments and give Adams space to go to work in post
While the big man isn’t Enes Kanter in the post, opposing players struggle to handle his size and power inside. P.J. Tucker is one of the strongest defenders on the low block and Houston deploy him as their lone big man on the block in stretches. Adams sees BBQ chicken and bullies him down low.
Adams evolution as a passer is an asset the Thunder must look at exploring further. If the big man becomes a duel threat down low, OKC finally have another option to run half-court offense through other than a high pick and roll. It will be interesting to see if Oklahoma City take advantage of Adams new found ability to make accurate passes from the block when the Brodie returns. For now, Adams is running offensive sets from the post.
And its beautiful to watch.