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Basketball: Adams a towering Kiwi influence in NBA

Author
NZ Newswire,
Publish Date
Fri, 15 Dec 2017, 12:32PM
Steven Adams: he knows how he needs to play (Photo / Getty)
Steven Adams: he knows how he needs to play (Photo / Getty)

Basketball: Adams a towering Kiwi influence in NBA

Author
NZ Newswire,
Publish Date
Fri, 15 Dec 2017, 12:32PM

The prolific form in the NBA of New Zealand centre Steven Adams hasn't gone unnoticed by his high-profile Oklahoma City Thunder team-mates.

Adams' busy production this month continued with their 100-95 upset away to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday (NZT), in which he scored 23 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, including nine at the offensive end.

It was his ninth double-double of the season and the fourth in a December purple patch which began with a career-high points haul of 27 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

His new-found offensive threat has been highlighted by commentators, who point out it is attracting defenders away from star team-mates Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony.

Asked by journalists about Adams' improvements, last season's league MVP Westbrook says the Kiwi 24-year-old had lifted in all areas.

"Just being aggressive. He's got a lot better, knowing the game of basketball, knowing the spots, picking his spots well," six-time All Star Westbrook said after the Indiana win.

"He's worked on his game a lot and his body, and you can see it. He knows how he needs to play."

Adams is averaging 14.0 points per game in 24 appearances this season, up from 11.3 last year. Even more impressive is a field goal percentage that hovers just under 65 percent.

His 8.7 rebounds is a sizeable leap on the four previous seasons while he is chipping in with more steals, blocks and assists.

The towering Kiwi was keen to play down his growing influence.

"I don't care. The heart is there. As long as we bloody win, you know?" he said.

"It just came my way today. I just did my normal set ups how I normally do, and they fell my way."

The Thunder have won 13 of 27 games to be eighth in the Western Conference.

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