Inside The Rockets

Houston Rockets: Steven Adams' Presence Being Felt in Preseason

The Houston Rockets were in dire need of a back-up center behind star Alperen Şengün, but the acquisition of veteran Steven Adams has already proven to fill in the void the team was missing.

Amsal Madhani

Oct 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) rebounds against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Oct 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) rebounds against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets acquired veteran center Steven Adams around the trade deadline last season, and there were many question marks surrounding his ability to return to peak performance and whether he can alleviate the team's troubles at back-up center.

Through two preseason games, Adams has already shown that he can still perform at a high level and was, in fact, the answer for Houston behind Şengün.

The veteran big man has recorded six points and 15 rebounds through two games, and has made an impact as a rim protector on the defensive end, forcing opponents to adjust their shots in the paint.

Adams does everything the Rockets are needing him to do very well. They were desperate for a center behind Şengün who could rebound at an elite level, run the pick-and-roll, and pass the ball effectively.

Although still ramping up, Adams has been a match made in heaven for the second unit. Tuesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, he put on a show, scoring six points and grabbing 11 boards.

All night, Adams was a big help to the young playmakers coming off the bench for Houston in rookie Reed Sheppard and year two forward Amen Thompson. Adams' strong screens were giving Sheppard shots that he dreams of taking in-game consistently. On some of these shots, the defender is so far off from the rookie, it looked like he was still in pre-game shootaround.

Having a veteran center like Adams who knows how to seal off defenders, be in the right spots to grab offensive boards and set up teammates for easy buckets is paying off in a big way for the Rockets.

Although it is only preseason, if the veteran big man can continue to provide the team high-impact play off the bench, they can overtake expectations in a drastic way.

Adams could, in fact, be one of the most important players for Houston moving forward. If head coach Ime Udoka continues to put him in groups with Sheppard, we could also see a big jump for the rookie early on in the season.

He'll will look to build on his play on Thursday as the San Antonio Spurs come into town to face the Rockets.

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Amsal Madhani
AMSAL MADHANI

Amsal is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's in Journalism and a Minor in Business. He was born and raised in Houston, Texas and specializes in coverage of the Houston Rockets.

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