OAKLAND – It was gut-check time against the Golden State Warriors. The Thunder led just 101-100 on the floor of a team that won a record 73 games in the regular season with 72 seconds to go.
All the sudden, there was chaos on the floor. The ball was loose, and the massive hands of Steven Adams reached out for it and snagged it. He turned, facing the basket, and despite his role as a 7-foot center for this Thunder team, he put the ball on the floor and attacked the rim. As he attacked he was fouled, and stepped to the free throw line for the two biggest foul shots of his career.