OKC Thunder Player Grades: Paul George scorches Heat as team wins 7th in row
JERAMI GRANT. B. . PF. Oklahoma City Thunder
Like Ferguson, there wasn’t much to ask of offensively from Grant although his activity and energy helped keep the squad humming. His defense as per usual was on the mark.
He finished with 8 points, 7 rebounds, an assist, steal and connected on one of his two attempts from deep.
. SF. Oklahoma City Thunder. STEVEN ADAMS. B+
Not necessarily his best offensive effort of the season, but Adams was no less critical in this winning effort. One of my favorite moments featured Adams diving for a loose ball and then passing (while still on his behind) to an awaiting Schroder who drilled the triple. I joked it was too bad DS dribbled before shooting or Adams would’ve picked up an assist while still on the ground.
In all seriousness, Adams defense on both big Miami big men (Hassan Whiteside and Bam Adebayo) kept the Heat from gaining any traction early and he quite literally erased their rim protection via his defense.
Also, Adams was returning from missing the game in Orlando, so his overall contributions were even more impressive. Kudos to Billy Donovan for giving the Big Kiwi a bit more rest in favor of more minutes for Nerlens Noel who has also earned that increase in playing time .Doing so consistenty will go a long way to getting our big man to the postseason healthier and less fatigued.