Even if the return of Lonzo Ball took center stage, the Bulls leader is not the only one to return after a long unavailability. This week it was the turn of Steven Adams to return to the courts, and it was against the Spurs. The new Rockets pivot had not set foot on the field since January 2023, or 645 days!
“It was just good to come back, and it’s been a long journey”, reacted Steven Adams. “There's still a lot of work to do, but it's nice to be on the pitch with the boys, especially in a new team. Since I was transferred in the middle of an injury or rehab, it's good to play with the team. It's different from talking to your teammates and playing with them. »
His screens bring 16 points against the Spurs
For his first, Steven Adams did Steven Adams: 6 points on 100% shooting in 14 minutes, and his screens generated 16 points! Enough to delight his coach, Ime Udoka, who spoke of him as a 6th starter with the possibility of associating him with Alperen Sengun.
“Those for whom he sets screens will have openings. He's very good with his angles and using his body to open guys up, and he's very good on the offensive rebound too. We must therefore take into account him on the strong side and the weak side and, even more, if he does not have the ball, he can free up space for other players. »
Against Spurs, he even managed a tap above Victor Wembanyama, who could not push him away. “I was lucky he didn’t jump” believes the former Memphis. “It was strange to find yourself on the pitch facing him. He's a unique player. I blocked him on a free throw and the ball bounced, and he caught it with his arm. I was holding him like that though and I saw his arm above. I thought it was crazy.”
A smooth recovery
For the moment, Steven Adams will have to be content with parts of the match, with sequences of five minutes.
“He moved a little slowly, as you would expect. But that’s what training camp, preseason and early season games are for. To get on your feet »concludes Ime Udoka. “His playing intelligence and communication are present from day one with him. We see the space he creates for others. This part will always be there, it's more about getting ready and getting ready. But he is very productive in the minutes he has played in preseason and early in the season and the results show it. »
