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Steven Adams' sudden emergence as a key offensive player has been highlighted this season, when the Oklahoma City Thunder has had the most offensive firepower ever with the coalition of the Big Three.
To head coach Billy Donovan, it's all about the fruits of collective effort, crediting his main cogs for playing a supporting role to the big man's prowess.
“I think people have it really backwards,” Donovan said after the game, according to ESPN's Royce Young. “That's the greatness, to me, of Carmelo Anthony. The reason why Steven Adams is doing what he's doing is because of Carmelo Anthony and Paul George.”
After posting a couple of six-point duds, Adams has now put up 27, 19, and 20 points in his last three games — major contributions when it comes to a player expected to collect boards, rotate, block shots, and quarterback the defense from under the rim.
Coincidentally, the Thunder are 3-0 during that stretch, which has made teams pay attention to the big man in the middle which has prevented them from playing air-tight defense on the wings, where George and Melo operate. While most have zoned into Carmelo Anthony's lack of shot attempts through the last stretch of games, his impact has extended as a facilitator for Stevem Adams, who has capitalized in this opportunity and punished the opposition for it.
“I think a lot of people don't see, they look at Carmelo and think, ‘Oh, he's only taken seven or eight shots in two games,' and they miss the big picture of what the guy has done for Steven Adams,” Donovan said. “It should be one point for Steven and one point for Carmelo. One point for Steve, one point for Paul. It's a team. I think you all benefit from each other when you're out there on the floor and playing the right way.”
