Steven Adams’ game-winning penalty against the Cleveland Cavaliers last Wednesday not only helped the Grizzlies tie their 11-game winning streak, but it may also be his most glorious moment in the Grizzlies — yet His importance to Memphis cannot be exhausted with just this ball.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yqQg8RtpbI
Since Adams came to the Grizzlies through a trade in July 2021, he has been the mainstay of the team. He played 75 games last season and has played 40 games this season (the Grizzlies have played 44 games). Just looking at the performance in the data column cannot show everything that Adams brought to Memphis. Outstanding performance – Whether it’s a solid blocker or a strong containment force inside, you can only know by watching the ball with your own eyes, Adams has been affecting the game throughout the game.
Not everyone was optimistic about the trade to Adams. After all, the price for him was Jonas Valančiūnas, a big man who had made a difference with the Grizzlies.
At that time, Adams’ value was bearish, and many people thought that for a long man with no outside ability, his achievements were too inappropriate for his value. The Grizzlies appear to have traded a Lithuanian who averaged 17.1 points and 12.5 rebounds for a New Zealander who averaged 7.6 points and 8.9 rebounds.
However, for the Grizzlies, of course they made this change not for statistics, but for team fitness and to improve the performance of the team’s cornerstone. Facts have proved that even the Grizzlies uniform team that finalized the deal did not expect the “Aquaman effect” to be so successful!
When the Grizzlies came to Adams, the whole team made up their minds to use him, who didn’t need the ball, to assist the team’s core Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Unlike Valančiūnas, Adams doesn’t need to rely on post-ups and pick-and-roll shots to help the offense, but instead relies on screens to open up space for Morant. create a broad road。
Many players say Adams is the strongest man in the league, as evidenced by his solid blocking and ruthless rebounding. After a thrilling win over the Cavaliers, Jackson praised his New Zealand teammate: “He’s the best screener in NBA history, and probably the best offensive rebounding machine. If you can do those things, you can Keep saving the team.”
Although this Grizzlies team has always been known for its teamwork and good chemistry, Adams is still a special presence that has to be mentioned. If you are a Grizzlies fan locked in every game, you must know the existence of Aquaman Liberated part of Morant’s style of play and helped him become a superstar.
There is also a good chemical effect between him and Desmond Bane. Adams and Jackson have built the thickest inside duo in the league. Whether it is throwing a lob alley-oop or passing a corner three-pointer, it is within his responsibility . After the 11-game winning streak, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins specifically talked about Adams’ contribution to the team:
Adams also shot a career high this season. Last season, his effective field goal percentage was only 55.1%. This season, the number has reached 60.6%. Last year, he shot 60% at the rim, and this year it has increased by 4%. What is more worth mentioning is his grasp of short and medium distances. He only had 39% last season, but this season he broke through 50%.
While his free throw percentage is at a career low, Adams has improved in other ways, and the Grizzlies have worked hard to integrate Adams more into their offensive scheme, whether it’s with Morant on the pick-and-roll early in the game or passing the ball to the Adams, who was stuck in the penalty area, made the first move. With the improved shooting rate, Adams will become another scoring point for the Grizzlies.
Adams averaged 10 rebounds per game last season, setting a new career high; this season, he is even more relentless, averaging 11.4 rebounds in a single game, of which 5 offensive rebounds lead the NBA. (The second place is Mitchell Robinson of the Knicks, averaging 4.3 offensive rebounds per game.) His offensive rebounding position also provides other Grizzlies players with better rebounding opportunities. The Grizzlies rank among the league’s top 5 hard power in the second wave of offense, and Adams is of course tied for fourth in the league in terms of tipping.
Adams’ average of 2.3 assists per game may seem inferior to last season’s 3.4, but in fact, there are few big players in the NBA who can pass the ball better than Aquaman. Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis, two rare all-around centers, are certainly exceptions, but we might say that “Stevo” is right behind them.
