Ja Morant’s extra-sporting concerns at the end of last season tended to obscure the fact that Memphis also suffered greatly from the absence of Steven Adams in the second part of the season. Hit in the knee at the end of January, the Kiwi pivot concluded an encouraging week in training with 12 minutes of play last night against the Pacers, officially marking his return.
The opportunity for the pivot to do what he knows best, with finishing near the circle and deterrence in defense for 4 points (2/2), 5 rebounds and 1 block in the end. But more than the stats, the important thing was to continue to “manage properly” the final steps that will lead him back to 100%.
“He participated in more five-on-fives this week than in recent months. That’s why we use this word, caution”, confirmed his coach Taylor Jenkins before the match against Indiana. “We just want to see how he responds because until then, he had mainly done one-on-one.”
The rise in power will continue
While Steven Adams only had a few scrimmages in his legs with five-minute quarters, we can say that Taylor Jenkins took precautions since the New Zealand pivot had the least playing time on his team, only Shaquille Harrison and Kenneth Lofton Jr. having played less than him.
The Grizzlies coach was particularly encouraged by what he had seen from the association of his position 5 with the sniper duo Desmond Bane – Luke Kennard in training. A relationship that will have to continue to develop, especially in the absence of Ja Morant for the first 25 regular season games.
“The defense is overreacting to Desmond Bane, and that makes sense. Then you have Luke. SO It’s weird when they’re both on the pitch, because you end up with big spaces.”notably confided the pivot, who was taking his first steps alongside his new teammate, who arrived in Memphis in February.
And Luke Kennard goes one better by expressing his optimism for Memphis with his teammate’s imminent return to the top. “He looked in good shape. He did everything, he participated in all the practices, all the scrimmages, and he was dominant in the low post. He looked good to me.”slipped the back.
Unless contraindicated by the medical staff, we should therefore see Steven Adams back at work tomorrow, against the Bucks, perhaps with a little more playing time, in order to continue his rise in power.
| Steven Adams | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2013-14 | OKAY | 81 | 15 | 50.3 | 0.0 | 58.1 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 3.3 |
| 2014-15 | OKAY | 70 | 25 | 54.4 | 0.0 | 50.2 | 2.8 | 4.6 | 7.5 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 7.7 |
| 2015-16 | OKAY | 80 | 25 | 61.3 | 0.0 | 58.2 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 6.7 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 8.0 |
| 2016-17 | OKAY | 80 | 30 | 57.1 | 0.0 | 61.1 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 7.7 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 11.3 |
| 2017-18 | OKAY | 76 | 33 | 62.9 | 0.0 | 55.9 | 5.1 | 4.0 | 9.0 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 13.9 |
| 2018-19 | OKAY | 80 | 33 | 59.5 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 9.5 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 13.9 |
| 2019-20 | OKAY | 63 | 27 | 59.2 | 33.3 | 58.2 | 3.3 | 6.0 | 9.3 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 10.9 |
| 2020-21 | NOP | 58 | 28 | 61.4 | 0.0 | 44.4 | 3.7 | 5.2 | 8.9 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 7.6 |
| 2021-22 | SAME | 76 | 26 | 54.7 | 0.0 | 54.3 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 10.0 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 7.0 |
| 2022-23 | SAME | 42 | 27 | 59.7 | 0.0 | 36.4 | 5.1 | 6.5 | 11.6 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 8.6 |
| Total | 706 | 27 | 58.7 | 6.7 | 53.6 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 8.2 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 9.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
