Adams off the leash and on a roll for OKC

Steven Adams has been busy of late teaching his new puppy some tricks. He also appears to have picked up a few himself, the way he has roared into life on the back of the NBA’s All-Star break.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kiwi centre has returned from the annual All-Star game hiatus seemingly a new man.

First game back from the week-long break for the frivolities in Chicago, Adams posted 19 points, 17 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists and a pair of blocks in a

113-101 victory over a Denver Nuggets outfit which sits second on the Western Conference standings. He went 7-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the line and had a plus/minus of +9.

Then, on Monday (NZT), he took up where he left off with 21 points and 14 rebounds in just 27 minutes of a 131-103 home blowout of the San Antonio Spurs in which a franchise-best eight OKC players posted double-figures scores. The 7-foot Kiwi made 8 of his 12 shots, 5 of his 6 free throws and played a big part in shackling LaMarcus Aldridge to a

3-of-10 shooting night.

The 26-year-old New Zealander, like his team, is on somewhat of a roll. He has now had four straight doubledoubles to take his season tally to 20 and over that span is averaging 15.3 points and 13.0 rebounds for the Thunder who have won seven of their last nine and 12 of their most recent 16 to sit sixth in the West on 35-22.

After Russell Westbrook and Paul George both departed in the off-season that’s a long, long way from where anyone figured the Thunder would slot in this season.

But with new arrivals Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari fitting seamlessly into the OKC setup, Billy Donovan has the Thunder on pace for their first 50-win season since Kevin Durant’s final lap of the track in 2015-16.

After the victory over the Spurs (OKC’s second biggest margin this season), Donovan noted the rise in performance levels of his hard-nosed centre. ‘‘When Steven plays like he has the last two games, both on the offensive and defensive side, it takes our team to a different level.’’

He told reporters recently he had spent the All-Star break in Oklahoma City training his new puppy. ‘‘I have a Belgian Malinois,’’ he explained.

‘‘It’s not a dessert . . . don’t get hungry, mate. I taught her how to crawl – quite cute,’’ he said of his new addition which is similar to a German Shepherd, but smaller.