New Orleans Pelicans: Steven Adams is still vital for the Pels

New Orleans Pelicans: Steven Adams controlled the boards

Adams also made a difference on the boards, as NBA fans across the board have come to expect to him. In fairness, Hernangómez did well in his absence, averaging a bit under five offensive rebounds per game when Adams was out of action and showing that the Pelicans will have a sturdy presence under the rim no matter what. The Kiwi center crashed the offensive glass and manufactured second chance opportunities for his teammates.

In the clip above, Adams essentially outwrestles Plumlee for the offensive rebounds and then sets up first time all-star Zion Williamson for the huge slam dunk.

Adams’ importance grew as minutes went by. In the third quarter, he had an important block and an offensive rebound when the Pelicans were mounting their comeback. In the fourth, Adams was pivotal in sealing the game.

First, he picked up Eric Bledsoe’s miss and put it straight back into the basket to give the Pels a ten point cushion. Then, Adams had another important offensive rebound with a minute and a half left in the game. This second possession allowed the Pelicans to run down the clock and get their 14th win of the season.

New Orleans is now just one game behind the 10th placed Memphis Grizzlies and one and a half games behind the 9th placed Dallas Mavericks in the west. Surpassing either of those teams would enter the Pelicans into the end of the season play-in tournament and give them a chance to make their playoff dreams a reality.

Lots of questions were asked about the Pels’ bigs before and at the start of the season, but Adams has been a constant positive for Stan Van Gundy. The Pelicans will continue to need their first choice center as the season rolls on.