New Zealand’s Steven Adams has emerged as the unlikely hero in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s against-the-odds victory in game one of the Western Conference Finals.
With 16 points and 12 rebounds, plus a game-high +19 Player Efficiency Rating, Adams was a beast on the box score, but it was his interior presence and a big play in the dying moments of the game that secured the win for OKC.
Battling a 13-point deficit at the half, the Thunder fought back behind superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to snatch the lead with only minutes left.
With one of the final plays in the game, Adams, a 7-foot centre, inexplicably drove the lane. The high-risk decision paid the dividends though, as Adams was fouled and drained both free throws to maintain OKC’s 6-point lead.
The performance netted Adams his sixth double-double of the post season, a remarkable achievement after totaling six double-doubles for the entire 82-game regular season. Alongside the stats, Adams also won himself a bunch of new fans, as Twitter lit up with praise for the big Kiwi with the ridiculous moustache and gauze hanging from his nose.
