There's no love lost between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets in their first-round series, with the two teams now preparing for Game 6 at Chase Center on Friday.
Yet amid all the individual matchups, rivalries, trash talk and the like, there may actually be one Rockets player whose respect among Warrior fans has grown in this series. Steven Adams has been a huge factor through the first five games, though his team is still facing elimination despite a blowout victory in Game 5.
Warriors fans want to see Steven Adams in the Bay next season
Golden State have struggled to deal with Adams' size and dominant inside presence, with the Kiwi big man leading the series in offensive rebounding (18) despite averaging less than 20 minutes through the first five games.
But it may be Adams' off-court comments more so than his on-court play that have grown his stature among Warrior fans, with the 31-year-old giving a diplomatic answer in defending Draymond Green when asked after Game 4 if things had gone too far physically during this series.
“It’s highly competitive out there. People are just playing really hard. Sometimes things happen. It’s not ill intentioned. I think you’re just trying to win," Adams said after Game 4.
Not only are Warriors fans heaping praise on a current playoff opponent, but many are actually calling for the front office to sign Adams when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Based on the second-half of this season and particularly this specific series, Adams would be a significant upgrade on Kevon Looney as a similarly physical, rebound-first veteran center off the bench.
While Looney has averaged just 10 minutes and struggled to make an impact in the series, Adams is one of only two Rockets players to have recorded a plus-minus above 15 through the five games to date.
Houston are a +38 in Adams' 98 minutes, with only Alperun Sengun (also +38) having a similar impact among his teammates. It's easy to see how Adams' rebounding, defense and screen-setting would fit into the Golden State system, having so often relied on traditional rather than flashy centers over the years like Andrew Bogut, Zaza Pachulia and Looney.
While Adams will be a free agent in the offseason, there are a couple of major hurdles that may prevent him joining the Warriors. Firstly, he and Green would have to put their history to bed which stems from a decade ago when Adams was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Second and most notably, Adams' performance in these playoffs may price him out of Golden State's price range. The 11-year veteran may still command in excess of $10 million per year, something the Warriors probably won't be able to reach depending on what happens with Jonathan Kuminga as a restricted free agent.