Who would have imagined Steven Adams to be the difference between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets series? Due to his ability on the court in Game 6, the Rockets tied the series after the Warriors led 3-1 at the start of the game.
Shades of the 2016 NBA Finals could hit the Warriors as the Rockets look to progress to the next round. The Rockets’ momentum could presumably stay intact for Game 7 as they look to close this series out.
In the meantime, Adams showcased an offensive clinic to shut down the Warriors, as they had no solutions for the New Zealander. Fans reacted to his output and hailed him on social media.
Fans React to Steven Adams’ X-Factor Performance Against the Warriors
Adams ended the game with 17 points, shooting 4/4 from the field. He had three huge blocks, but the main story became the free-throw shooting. With the Warriors adopting a Hack-A-Adams strategy, he stepped to the line confidently and drained nine free throws.
The Warriors didn’t have an answer on how to stop him, and fans reacted similarly. One user mentioned, “His props? Dude is the player of the game/series. They have ZERO answer for him.”
His props? Dude is the player of the game/series. They have ZERO answer for him.
— Josh (@WorstInShow_)
The Rockets’ center impacted both sides of the court in this series and looks to be the difference. Hence, he received plenty of praise from the internet basketball community.
One user wrote, “Props for knocking down those free throws. Might nix that strategy for Game 7.” Adams’ 56.3% from the line ensured the Warriors couldn’t come back to tie the score.
They kept fouling him, and he kept shooting them as another user posted a similar comment, “They tried Hack-a-Adams, and it backfired on them.”
While one team’s loss is another team’s gain, the Memphis Grizzlies wonder why they traded him. The Grizzlies traded Adams to the Rockets for Victor Oladipo and three future second-round picks.
It’s safe to say the Grizzlies front office would have loved to keep Adams in Memphis, as this user posted, “Every team he goes on, he does this. The Grizzlies were so dumb for moving on from him.”
One fan commented, “Game changer in this series.” He’s averaged 6.2 points and 6.5 rebounds and has a habit of swatting away the basketball with 1.3 blocks. Moreover, his 8.8 +/- average in this series speaks volumes about his impact.
Whenever the play arrives on the court, the former Grizzlies center gets involved in most phases: scoring, rebounding, hustling for possession, and blocking. With Adams dominating the paint, the Warriors have no answers.
If they want to advance, the Warriors must find a way to stop Adams. Otherwise, he will run riot on the San Francisco franchise again.
