Steven Adams

[Bolts]

Just ahead of Whiteside but behind Tristan Thompson.

 

[wildturkey]

He's borderline top 10

 

[thunderc]

No matter where you rank him if you have been watching him this season you know there is an arrow pointing upward next to his name.

 

[tlance]

He's borderline top 10

In the modern era where you almost don't want your center to have a post game, I think he is easily top 10.

He rebounds very well. He can protect the rim and guard pretty well in space. Offensively he is a good pick and roll finisher and he never asks for the ball.

There are other centers who are better, but probably only 3-4 I would actually rather have on my team. Adams perfectly fits today's guard dominant pick and roll game.

 

[wildturkey]

In the modern era where you almost don't want your center to have a post game, I think he is easily top 10.

He rebounds very well. He can protect the rim and guard pretty well in space. Offensively he is a good pick and roll finisher and he never asks for the ball.

There are other centers who are better, but probably only 3-4 I would actually rather have on my team. Adams perfectly fits today's guard dominant pick and roll game.

I was just quickly going over a list in my head, figured he was somewhere between 9th and 12th. That's what I meant by borderline top 10. Thinking about it fully, I'd put Embiid, Cousins, Davis (who I still say is a center but is playing PF, especially now that Cousins is there), M. Gasol, Jokic, above him. That's 5 right there. So he falls into the next grouping with Jordan, Drummond, Whiteside, and Gobert. So that's another 4. And I'd rather have any of those guys than Adams because I think they have more overall skill than Adams, who benefits from being able to clean up a lot of messes his Thunder teammate create. Those other guys are asked to play bigger roles with their teams whether its defensively, offensive, or both. Adams is skilled but I think he's in the perfect role for his abilities right now. I'm not sure he can achieve much more. I think those other guys could if I were building a team

 

[tlance]

I was just quickly going over a list in my head, figured he was somewhere between 9th and 12th. That's what I meant by borderline top 10. Thinking about it fully, I'd put Embiid, Cousins, Davis (who I still say is a center but is playing PF, especially now that Cousins is there), M. Gasol, Jokic, above him. That's 5 right there. So he falls into the next grouping with Jordan, Drummond, Whiteside, and Gobert. So that's another 4. And I'd rather have any of those guys than Adams because I think they have more overall skill than Adams, who benefits from being able to clean up a lot of messes his Thunder teammate create. Those other guys are asked to play bigger roles with their teams whether its defensively, offensive, or both. Adams is skilled but I think he's in the perfect role for his abilities right now. I'm not sure he can achieve much more. I think those other guys could if I were building a team

I agree with you that every one of those guys is a better player, but I don't think Davis is a center. I also think when deciding between the players in that third tier, it comes down to team need. I think Adams is the best of the entire group at defending in space.

If I have a guard/wing dominant team (almost every contender) and I am trying to beat the Warriors, I want Adams over every one of those third tier centers, and I think you could even make a case for him ahead of Gasol and Jokic if you just need a screener/defender/garbageman.

Again, he isn't a better player, but his skill set is more valuable than ever before.

 

[Scapegoat]

I agree with you that every one of those guys is a better player, but I don't think Davis is a center. I also think when deciding between the players in that third tier, it comes down to team need. I think Adams is the best of the entire group at defending in space.

If I have a guard/wing dominant team (almost every contender) and I am trying to beat the Warriors, I want Adams over every one of those third tier centers, and I think you could even make a case for him ahead of Gasol and Jokic if you just need a screener/defender/garbageman.

Again, he isn't a better player, but his skill set is more valuable than ever before.

Adams also puts up good numbers and has zero plays run for him.

 

[trojanfan12]

Oh I’m sure, none of them had 18 brothers and sisters and grew up in a gang in New Zealand though.

Nothing scarier than a gang of Kiwis. lol

 

[Scapegoat]

In the modern era where you almost don't want your center to have a post game, I think he is easily top 10.

He rebounds very well. He can protect the rim and guard pretty well in space. Offensively he is a good pick and roll finisher and he never asks for the ball.

There are other centers who are better, but probably only 3-4 I would actually rather have on my team. Adams perfectly fits today's guard dominant pick and roll game.

Pretty good at offensive rebounds. Looks like 5/game from what I could find. Tops in the NBA.

 

[tlance]

Pretty good at offensive rebounds. Looks like 5/game from what I could find. Tops in the NBA.

Yes he is.

He is a monster under there. When bigs have to help on dribble drives, he is really tough to keep off the glass. Even when they don't, he is a beast.

 

[thunderc]

Got in bullshit foul trouble tonight because Valenciunas was being a fake tough guy but another very strong outing from Adams tonight. 18 puts, 9 boards, 2 assists and 4 steals in only 22 minutes.

 

[Scapegoat]

Got in bullshit foul trouble tonight because Valenciunas was being a fake tough guy but another very strong outing from Adams tonight. 18 puts, 9 boards, 2 assists and 4 steals in only 22 minutes.

I haven't seen this much but he looked like he got a little irritated by valenciunas. When he dunked on him he showed it. Or so I thought.

 

[thunderc]

Officials really blew it by calling a double technical when the fake tough guy threw Adams to the court. Actually that is kind of when the game turned, Thunder kicked their ass after that.

 

[DorianRo]

He's basically Luc Longley or Bill Wennington. Just a better player in today's League of Big men with no real truly talented big men.

Hell Luc Longley would be a top BIG in today's league. Not like that is much of an accomplishment today

 

[CitySushi]

Officials really blew it by calling a double technical when the fake tough guy threw Adams to the court. Actually that is kind of when the game turned, Thunder kicked their ass after that.

Real question...what do you think of Russ' tough guy act?

 

[Scapegoat]

Real question...what do you think of Russ' tough guy act?

That he's actually tough?

 

[msgkings322]

That he's actually tough?

Yeah watch out for this guy

 

[Scapegoat]

Yeah watch out for this guy

Try dressing like that and not being tough.

 

[tlance]

He's basically Luc Longley or Bill Wennington. Just a better player in today's League of Big men with no real truly talented big men.

Hell Luc Longley would be a top BIG in today's league. Not like that is much of an accomplishment today

Exact opposite of that actually.

Luc Longley would be a slightly better Timofey Mozgov. He didn't move his feet well enough to guard pick and roll. He would be exposed today and he wasn't a good enough post scorer to make up for it.

Adams is MUCH better than Longley.

 

[CitySushi]

That he's actually tough?

But in your opinion how do you determine that? Versus say fake tough guy KD? Neither of them have ever swung at anyone on the court. Neither of them have had history off the court. But like KD's fake tough, but Russ is legit? Just wanting to know a metric system here.