Possesses Ja Morant, the highlight maker with the best physical fitness, Desmond Bane, the top shooter aka Kokenshi, and Jaren Jackson Jr, the rare all-around support center. A newborn calf with passion and vitality, the Memphis Grizzlies lived up to expectations and played an amazingly explosive offense, but there is actually a kind of instability behind this magnificence, and it is the “Dinghai Shenzhen” that ensures the team’s normal operation. It’s unashamedly low-key – Steven Adams.
Possesses Ja Morant, the highlight maker with the best physical fitness, Desmond Bane, the top shooter aka Kokenshi, and Jaren Jackson Jr, the rare all-around support center. A newborn calf with passion and vitality, the Memphis Grizzlies lived up to expectations and played an amazingly explosive offense, but there is actually a kind of instability behind this magnificence, and it is the “Dinghai Shenzhen” that ensures the team’s normal operation. It’s unashamedly low-key – Steven Adams.
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Steven Adams averaged 8.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 59.7% shooting in 27 minutes per game this season. The book data looks like a good blue-collar player, but in fact Steven Adams’ contribution and influence to the Grizzlies is far more than It’s just “not bad” on the book, and even Adams is actually an important figure for the Grizzlies to have a stable performance all the time, so what value and contribution does Adams provide?
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cover value
First of all, the body that is like a fortified wall provides top-level screen quality. Most perimeter defenders are not confrontational enough to resist Steven Adams’ screen. For the screen, Adams will immediately adjust his position and set up the second or even the third screen until the defender is firmly stuck. This is why Adams can record the league’s first average of 5.7 screen assists per game. Often use the Seal Screen to block the rim protector’s help defense position, and clear an empty layup path for the ball holder.
In particular, Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, the main offensive launch points in the formation, each have their own flaws. Teams with rich defensive resources can make effective targeted defenses. On the contrary, it is easier to expand their advantages when relying on screens to launch pick-and-roll offenses. It can be seen that the cover function provided by Steven Adams is important to the two.
high support value
Secondly, after Steven Adams came to the Grizzlies, he was given more freedom in the high position and was able to use his coping ability. Adams’ high position holding the ball can guide the Grizzlies players to have more running and off-the-ball actions. The screening ability mentioned above allows Adams to often launch effective Chicago Action, Horns and Dribbles Handoff, and even pass the ball immediately after the Fake handoff to play the pick-and-roll, so as to take away the help defense of the weak side for P&R Handler .
And when Adams’ matchup stood out from the perimeter and Hedge tried to buy time for the perimeter defenders to return, his teammates could immediately run back to the penalty area to receive Adams’ fast and accurate floor lead pass and get a layup opportunity. All these made Adams close to two Ji Ji handed over 15.5% and 10.7% of the assist rate, which is significantly different from the average of 6.7% in the first 8 years of his career. This kind of high-position tactical center is also useful and rare in modern basketball.
individual scoring ability
Of course, even as a traditional center, Steven Adams has areas that he is not good at. The low intention at the end of last season made Adams’ support and screen influence slightly reduced. After all, when your offensive threat is insufficient, the opponent only needs to focus on dealing with it. The average scoring and shooting percentage have only slightly improved, but in fact, the more active follow-up after the screen did allow Adams to get more easy opportunities to eat cakes next to Ja Morant. In other words, Adams’ threat at the basket will also increase, making it harder for the opponent to be caught in a dilemma.
Even this season, Adams has developed more low-post offense and free throw line cutting skills, although the frequency of use is not high, and his personal offensive ability is far from the insiders who often support high positions such as Domantas Sabonis and Bam Adebayo, but at least in Adams With the improvement of this season, he is not a target that can be ignored. While maintaining the original offensive value, he can improve his shortcomings and improve himself, so that his influence can have more room for exertion and better results. This is also Adams’ offense this season. The reason why the contribution can go further than last season.
rebound threat
In addition, the value of Steven Adams on the rebounding side cannot be ignored. The league’s leading average of 5.1 offensive rebounds per game has actually created more offensive rounds for the Grizzlies to improve offensive fault tolerance. Bringing invisible pressure, the opponent’s best frame protector will not dare to help defend and interfere with the basket shot to avoid missing the best position and timing because of scruples about Adams. In disguise, teammates will have better finishing space, These are values that are difficult to present in data.
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To put it simply, although Steven Adams does not have a strong autonomous offensive ability, he can still create more simple scoring opportunities for his teammates by making the blue-collar center work to the extreme. Adams is exactly what everyone needs on a Memphis Grizzlies team with average strength and a multi-point offense.