In a previous NBA regular season game, the Houston Rockets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 110-99 at home. After this game, the Rockets' record improved to 22 wins and 11 losses, continuing to rank third in the Western Conference; while the Mavericks, who suffered a three-game losing streak, saw their record drop to 20 wins and 14 losses, falling to fifth in the West.
During the game, the Rockets' backup center Steven Adams performed slightly below par. Adams played for 7 minutes and 23 seconds, shooting 3 for 2, scoring 4 points and 4 rebounds with a plus-minus of -2. Although Adams managed to score some points on the offensive end by taking advantage of opportunities, his performance in other areas was quite average. His defensive performance was particularly poor, with his shortcomings in mobility still clearly visible, and his actual defensive effectiveness on the court was not particularly ideal. As a result, the team's situation when Adams was on the court was also quite average, with his plus-minus being negative. Overall, Adams' contribution to the team in this game was still relatively limited, and he was unable to provide more support. The coaching staff's trust in him is also somewhat limited, as evidenced by his relatively limited playing time.
Throughout the season so far, Adams has played in 20 out of the first 33 games, averaging 10.3 minutes per game, with an average of 2.6 points, 4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.2 blocks, along with 1.1 turnovers and 1 foul per game, shooting 61.8% from the field and 37% from the free-throw line. Adams' performance this season has been very poor, with his offensive efficiency being terrible, his scoring ability not being up to par, and his performance in other areas experiencing a significant decline. His defensive contributions have also been severely lacking, with his decline in mobility and athleticism being too obvious, resulting in a severe deficiency in his defensive contributions.
Adams' effect on the court has actually been quite poor, with his support for the team on both offense and defense being very limited, especially on defense, where he is more like a sieve for the team, unable to provide more support. The Rockets have other players to choose from; recently, they have completely abandoned another backup center, Jock Landale, who actually performed quite well in several games at the beginning of the season, showcasing his versatility on the offensive end. However, the Rockets' coaching staff still highly regards Adams' abilities, and he has consistently received stable playing time. It's just that everyone can see that Adams' performance on the court is far from ideal, so why is the Rockets' coaching staff so stubborn?
