Adams has big day versus Raptors despite injuries
TORONTO — Steven Adams got knocked down, but he got up again.
And then again. Adams logged a physical day at the office in the Thunder’s 132-125 win against the Raptors on Sunday at Air Canada Centre. He tweaked an ankle in the first half and briefly left the court for treatment.
He exited again in the second half, after he was shaken by a shot below the belt.
Between mishaps, he mystified Toronto.
Adams had 25 points and eight rebounds against the Raptors, playing 33 minutes despite the ankle tweak and a knee to the groin from former teammate Serge Ibaka.
It’s nothing new for Adams to take a hit down under. After the game, he joked that kicks to the kiwis are “an everyday thing,” the result of a defensive effort to stay vertical and contest shots by hardcharging big men.
“You have to face them,” Adams said. “Unfortunately Serge is not the most coordinated guy, so ended up, yeah. Old mate.”
Then, chuckling under his breath, Adams added, “What a (expletive).”
He could laugh after the fact on Sunday, but Adams was in real and apparent pain after the third-quarter collision.
“That did not look very comfortable, what happened to him,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said.
It was rare for the Raptors to get Adams out of his comfort zone. He made 10 of 13 shots in the game, scored 14 points in the first quarter and ran the pick and roll to perfection with Russell Westbrook.
“His success rate is very, very high when he gets the ball where he wants it, and he can get to any spot, move anybody,” Westbrook said. “I’m just lucky and happy he’s on our team.”
Postgame Madness
As Paul George answered a postgame question from a reporter Sunday, a shout rang out from a corner locker.
“That’s a and-one!” Anthony yelled.
Melo bellowed in celebration of a three-point play opportunity for Syracuse.
Anthony’s alma mater was in the midst of what turned into an NCAA Tournament upset of Michigan State, and the Thunder forward was relishing the moment, watching on a TV in the locker room.
“You have to be a Syracuse alumni to understand and experience what that really means,” Anthony said, as teammates and assistant coach Royal Ivey groaned in the background. “As you can hear all the sighs and hatred coming Carmelo from other teammates. But it’s just different.”
Not everybody is as passionate.
Anthony gave grief in the locker room to Jerami Grant, who also played at Syracuse. He wasn’t nearly as excited for the game as Anthony was.
That prompted Anthony, who led Syracuse to the 2003 NCAA Tournament, to mockingly refer to Grant as “Georgetown,” the Orange’s biggest rival.
Return game
Patrick Patterson had a mostly quiet afternoon. It was his first game back in Toronto since he left the Raptors for the Thunder in free agency, and Patterson finished with three points, two rebounds and three assists.
He also was the victim of a spectacular dunk by Toronto’s CJ Miles.
Mostly, though, Patterson relished returning to a city where he spent 4½ seasons.
“It’s nothing but love,” he said. “They welcomed me with open arms from the time I got traded here, and since then, it’s been nothing but respect, even since I’ve been gone. I love it here, the fans, the people, the teammates that I had, the organization, the coaching staff. Everything was just fun. It was just pure fun.”
Tip-ins
Alex Abrines hit both of his 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter. In his past six games, he’s 7 of 10 from 3-point range in the fourth. ... The Thunder’s win snapped Toronto’s 11-game winning streak, which had tied a franchise record.