Rockets' Steven Adams shows love to Twitter fan for constant support, Ja Morant chimes in
Monday night was a big occasion for Steven Adams, as it marked the first time in nearly two years that he'd suit up in an NBA game. Ahead of his long-awaited debut, the veteran center gave a shoutout to a fan for their endless support.
The last time Adams was in action was on January 22nd, 2023. He'd suffer a PCL injury against the Phoenix Suns that would sideline him for nearly one-and-a-half seasons. After a long road to recovery, Adams was finally able to suit up for the Houston Rockets Monday night.
Ahead of his season debut, a Steven Adams fan account made a post with the number of days since he last played in an NBA game. He'd end up re-posting it, along with a heartfelt message.
Adam's post would get a reply from one of his former All-Star teammates, Ja Morant. The Memphis Grizzlies guard responded with a pair of emojis. It is in reference to one of Adams' nicknames, "The Big Kiwi."
Adams and Morant were teammates for two years after the Grizzlies acquired the former in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. Memphis ended up shipping him to the Rockets at last year's trade deadline even though he was still recovering from injury.
In his first taste of NBA action in nearly two years, Adams recorded six points and three rebounds in roughly 14 minutes of work.
Steven Adams is still an imposing physical force
Throughout his career, Steven Adams has made a name for himself as being one of the most physical centers in the NBA. Along with being a tenacious rebounder, he's built up a reputation of being the league's hardest screen-setter.
Despite being away from the game for so long, Adams did not lose his physical nature. It was on full display for the Houston Rockets in the brief stints they had him in the game.
One player who had to learn the hard way about Steven Adams was Victor Wembanyama. While they were matched up with one another, the reigning Rookie of the Year attempted to box out the veteran in hopes of securing a rebound. Adams was able to easily move Wembanyama and tip in a missed shot.
For the majority of his career, Adams has been a starter. However, that is likely going to change if he remains with the Rockets.
After giving him a $185 million extension earlier this month, Houston has stamped Alperen Sengun as their center of the future. This leaves Adams to slot in as his backup and be an anchor for the Rockets' second unit. Seeing that he just returned from an extended absence, a limited role might be best for him.