Why the Memphis Grizzlies are fortunate to have Steven Adams against NBA star centers

Steven Adams is like an offensive lineman.

At 6-foot-11, he’s large in stature, but he’s essential. His role isn’t the prettiest, but his biggest contributions often go unnoticed on the stat sheet.

Like a great offensive lineman at a modest 265 pound and going against a premier defensive pass rusher, Memphis called on Adams for protection.

Adams matched up on Friday night against Joel Embiid, one of the NBA’s best players and a scoring machine at the center position. Embiid’s final stats indicate he was dominant, and that’s not far from the truth. He willed the 76ers to a strong fourth quarter run before falling 109-101 to the Grizzlies at FedExForum.

Embiid had 35 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, but it was the Grizzlies center who made history.

Adams became the first Grizzlies player in franchise history with at least 15 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and three steals in multiple games. He finished with nine points, 16 rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks.

When Adams was notified of that record, his face didn’t change much.

“Cool,” Adams said.

Then he was notified that 10 of his 16 rebounds were offensive.

“Oh, it was 10 offensive rebounds? We need to make more shots, mate, that’s the problem,” said the New Zealand born Adams.

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Having Adams is an essential part of the Grizzlies’ identity. On offense, he’s lauded for his historic pace of offensive rebounding and screen setting, but his defensive impact has gone a little more unheralded.

The Grizzlies (13-9) tried to match Adams up with Embiid as much as possible on Friday. At one point in the third quarter, Adams was set to check out, but once Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins saw the 76ers (12-11) left Embiid in, Jenkins told Brandon Clarke to stay at the scorers table.

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“I feel like that’s what makes (Adams) so great for us all around. Him taking on that challenge to guard the best bigs—being able to limit them and make their shots tough as possible,” Memphis point guard Ja Morant said.

“He’s a big piece to our team, and we’re definitely thankful for him,” Morant added.

Adams has won his fair share of battles against different types of centers this season. He helped hold Rudy Gobert to a season low of one rebound. Jonas Valanciunas scored two points and four points, respectively, in two matchups this season against Adams.

Embiid was a different challenge. With the 76ers missing James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, the offense flows through Embiid like a point center. Adams had unusual defensive assignments like being screened while Embiid was a ball handler, and staying disciplined against hesitation dribbles near the 3-point line.

“It’s just different, because they put you in these sorts of positions,” Adams said. “I don’t get to guard these often, so I really enjoy challenging myself. It’s really fun for me.”

Clarke is more of an undersized center who does his best work guarding multiple positions on switches. Sure, in theory, the Grizzlies could put Jaren Jackson Jr. at center, but that’s not the preferred way of using him.

Memphis likes for Jackson to operate as an eraser around the him who can lurk and provide help for teammates when opponents approach the basket. That’s why three games ago against the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis assigned Jackson to defend Herb Jones. Against the 76ers, Jackson spent most of his time guarding P.J. Tucker, a Sixers player who isn’t asked to do much scoring.

Without Adams, Memphis would have likely needed Jackson to guard Embiid, and that would have impacted the entire defensive scheme.

“He’s been doing it for a while,” Jackson said. “I think we’ve all been fans of Steve even before he was here. Now it’s definitely easier to love him because he’s here and with us instead of on the other side.”

When healthy, the Grizzlies starting five would include Jackson, Morant, Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks. Whether it be the all-star cases of Morant, Bane and Jackson or the fanbase’s split viewpoint of Dillon Brooks, those four players are more likely to be in the limelight.

But don’t count out the impact Adams is having, because when a player like Embiid, Nikola Jokic or Giannis Antetokounmpo come into the building, he’s the Grizzlies’ solution.

“It’s good, because it makes me think outside of what I normally have to do,” Adams said of guarding the top big men. “It’s (expletive) great.”

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams perfect for guarding NBA’s biggest