OKC Thunder: Steven Adams season and contract grades

Highlights

Adams had multiple highlights this season. He had a 20 point, 17 rebound effort in the win against the LA Clippers in the game just prior to Christmas. He also had a 24 point, 15 rebounds in the seven-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Adams had a purple patch of four straight double-doubles in February, starting in the game against the San Antonio Spurs where he had ten points and ten rebounds. In the next game against the New Orleans Pelicans, he had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Then after the All-Star break, Adams got even better with a 19 point, 17 rebound effort against the Denver Nuggets. The final game in this series was against the Spurs again where Adams had 21 points and 14 rebounds.

Adams also had two single play highlights which will be replayed for the OKC Thunder faithful for a long time. The first was the length of the court pass he made off an inbound play to tie the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, video is on the first slide.

The last highlight of Steven Adams’ season was against the Pelicans. There had been some niggle in the game. Just prior to the quarter ending Adams inbounded the ball to Chris Paul. The point guard passed the ball back to Adams who took the 3/4 court shot with one hand.

This was Adams’ first-ever 3-point field goal of his career. It changed the momentum and mood of the game. The shoulder shake which Adams produced summed up the man on so many levels.