Differing opinions
Billy Donovan, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant each had a different response to Paul George’s All-Star snub.
The ball kept coming to Steven Adams like he had magnets in his hands. Adams kept missing.
The Thunder center has blossomed into one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA, pulling down 17.3 percent of available rebounds when he’s in the game, No. 1 in the league. He’s third in the NBA in total second-chance points (199).
The rebounds were there against the Nets, Adams pulling down nine offensive boards, tied for the most he’s had in a game all season. But the 7-footer shot 3-of-12 from the field, his worst performance of the season.
“That was lame last night,” Adams said Wednesday. “I couldn’t put it in, mate. That’s how it goes sometimes. You just throw it up. Sometimes it goes in. Sometimes it doesn’t. Move on to the next one.”
Thunder coach Billy Donovan said he didn’t talk to Adams about it because the fifth-year center has done such a good job.
Adams is shooting 67.1 percent from within five feet this season, which is 32nd out of 162 players with 100 or more field goal attempts within that distance.
But Adams is also 40th out of 55 players in points per possession (1.04) on putbacks despite getting the highest frequency of putbacks (28.5) when on the floor than anyone in the NBA.
“I just think he needs to be a little bit more aggressive,” Donovan said. “It’s hard — because when you rebound, you’ve got a lot of people on you and crowding you — to explode
up and dunk the ball. It’s sometimes difficult to do."
The Thunder is shooting 60.4 percent from within five feet of the rim this season, 19th in the NBA. Russell Westbrook (395) and Adams (313) get as many close-range attempts at the rim as any player, ranking third and 11th respectively in shot attempts within five feet.
At 6-foot-3, Westbrook is an anomaly among the players who have 40 or more putbacks this season. Among those 55 qualified players, Westbrook is the only one under 6-8 and the only guard. His percentage in the restricted area is understandably lower because of his lack of height.
“He’s as good as there is as anybody as getting to the deep paint and getting to the front of the rim,” Donovan said.
“With as much as that guy spends time in the lane, he should be at the free-throw line quite a bit, because of his ability to penetrate.”
The other Thunder players with at least 100 attempts around the rim are taller and could stand to improve their finishing. Westbrook often offsets his 57 percent at the rim with a high number of free throw attempts. Andre Roberson
(63.3 percent within five feet), Jerami Grant (62.3), Paul George (61.3) and Carmelo Anthony (58.5) sometimes do not.
“But you can’t ease up on the aggressiveness because you’re missing shots,” Adams said. “Even you putting that shot up itself, that still puts a lot of pressure on the team. Same with like a jump shooter. It doesn’t matter if they make the shot. If they run that action, that still puts a lot of awareness on the play, even if they miss a shot.
“… At least that’s what I tell myself ... (to) ease up that I sucked last night.”
Donovan, Westbrook, Durant chime in on George’s All-Star snub
Westbrook and Kevin Durant each had different reactions to the concept of All-Star snubs. So did Donovan.
When asked about George not making the All-Star team, Westbrook had a passionate response after the Thunder’s 109-108 win against the Nets on Tuesday, calling the snub "ridiculous" and "unbelievable."
“You got four people from one team,” Westbrook said, referencing the Golden State Warriors, who have two starters (Durant, Stephen Curry) and two reserves (Klay Thompson, Draymond Green) in the pool of All-Stars. “You got guys complaining about getting snubbed until they get in. You got guys that are just talking about it all the time, but the guys that deserve it should be in. I just don’t understand. It doesn’t make any sense. The guy leads the league in steals. Compete every night. Top two at his position. It don’t make any sense, regardless of anything else.”
Durant, who was voted to the game as a starter, was asked about his take on the Warriors getting four All-Star and George missing out.
“There’s going to be a couple of guys that gets snubbed every year,” Durant told the Bay Area News Group. “Paul George is an All-Star player, no matter who puts him in the game. He’s a superstar. He’s a star. It’s don’t matter. I’m sure it would mean a lot to me if I was Paul as well, or his teammates. I’m sure he deserves to be in there along with a lot of other guys. But ... that’s just how it is. You know what I’m saying? Everybody gets snubbed. That’s how it is. I really don’t know what to say to that. I think everybody that is in the game deserves to be in there.”
Donovan said he was disappointed by George missing the cut.
"I just think that when you talk about the 12 best players in the West, I have a hard time believing he’s not one of those guys,” Donovan said Wednesday. “He’s played consistently enough. He’s arguably the best two-way player in the league — if not one of them. No question.
“So for me, if that’s what the team is about, putting together the 12 best guys, I believe he’s one of them.”