Oklahoma City starting center Steven Adams is out at least three weeks after undergoing successful surgery to repair a broken right hand suffered on Sunday afternoon during a win against the L.A. Clippers. He will be re-evaluated after the three weeks, according to the Thunder.
Adams, who is averaging 7.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 24.3 minutes per game this season, leaves a big void for a Thunder team still looking to make up ground in a tight Western Conference race.
If he is indeed able to return in three weeks on March 2nd, the team will play just nine games without him because of the upcoming All-Star break. Still, for a team currently one spot out of the final playoff seed, it’s never a good thing to lose a starter, and the Thunder will have several options in addressing his absence in the meantime.
1. Start Kendrick Perkins. – This is probably the most obvious option, as Perkins originally occupied the starting spot prior to this season, and still sees a solid amount of playing time. Perkins has played the most behind Adams, averaging 19.3 minutes per game, while scoring 4.0 points and grabbing 5.6 rebounds per game. He isn’t as offensively gifted as Adams, but Perkins’ defense down low has been a crucial aspect of the Thunder’s success during his time there, and he provides veteran leadership on the court as well.
2. Switch to a smaller lineup. – This might seem like an unconventional move, but it’s one that could be effective if done right and used in the proper situations. Serge Ibaka, at 6-foot-10, could start at center, with Kevin Durant at power forward, and Andre Roberson at small forward. At 6-foot-7, Roberson is a little small for the small forward position, but he is fully capable of guarding the position, and his scoring wouldn’t be affected because it’s virtually non-existent anyways. Dion Waiters would get the nod at shooting guard, and of course Russell Westbrook at point guard. Against smaller teams, the lineup would allow the Thunder to push the pace, and leave plenty of scoring on the floor, with the exception of Roberson. Perkins, Nick Collison, and Mitch McGary could then be subbed in for defensive mismatches. The starting lineup could be exposed against bigger teams or dominant big men, but it is certainly feasible in some given situations, especially with teams like Phoenix, Charlotte, and the L.A. Lakers looming in the next three weeks.
3. Start Mitch McGary – This might seem like a reactionary suggestion. Well, that’s because it totally is. The 6-foot-10, 255 pound McGary has just now found his way into the Thunder lineup, and had quite the coming-out party on Sunday in the Thunder’s blowout win at home against the L.A. Clippers. McGary finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and one steal in 23 minutes off the bench. The stats were a little inflated due to McGary playing some garbage time, but he was extremely effective earlier in the game when the outcome was still in doubt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6YsJ0e29xI
He followed that performance up on Monday night with another double-double against the Denver Nuggets, as he finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes while battling fellow rookie Jusuf Nurkic in a 124-114 win on the road. Having spent most of the season either in the Developmental League or injured, McGary is still very much new to all of this, but he has proven, at least two games in, that he might be more than just a viable bench option, and it would be very interesting to see how he would handle a larger role this early into his career.
Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks opted to start Perkins during Monday night’s game, and will likely do so again at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, since Perkins has always been effective defensively against Zac Randolph. Still, McGary will continue to earn minutes if he keeps up his surprisingly good play, and could eventually land a permanent spot in the center position rotation, giving Brooks even more flexibility with Collison and Perkins in lineups once Adams returns.
