Kiwi NBA star Steven Adams feels "pissed off", as his Oklahoma City Thunder try to erase a two-game deficit against the Portland Trail Blazers in their Western Conference matchup.
After back-to-back defeats in Portland, the Thunder return to Oklahoma City for a two-game home stand, where they aim to level the series.
Adams has been a force on both ends of the court, but his efforts were not enough to prevent the Blazers from winning the opening two games 104-99 and 114-94 respectively.
- Steven Adams bagged for hard screen on Damian Lillard
- Steven Adams' Oklahoma City Thunder facing early playoff exit
- Miami forward James Johnson tops Kiwi Steven Adams as NBA's most-feared
The Thunder big man was asked about the overall feeling of the team before game three on Saturday (NZ time) and the 25-year-old gave the most 'Adams' answer possible.
"[They] seem pretty focused, I think," he said. "Myself, I feel a bit s**t, you know?
"Just a bit pissed off, but that’s just me personally."
"I'm not speaking for them, that's just for me. Obviously, it isn't over.
"[We need to] get more fired up - not too fired up. It’s more so we just stay focused on what will help us win the games.
"There is a level of emotion you got to play with. You can't be too emotional and forget what you really got to do."
Former NBA star current ESPN commentator Jalen Rose feels the Thunder need to involve Adams more, if they want to get back into the series.
"Steven Adams needs to be part of a 'Big Three'," he said on Jalen & Jacoby. "They can't make it a 'big two' with the [shot] attempts, the threes - they need to feed the big man.
"He was seven-from-eight, had 16 points and nine boards."
Co-host David Jacoby added how the Thunder tended to use Adams early in the match and then he seemed to become extinct in the offence.
"Keep giving him the ball, see if he goes eight-from-nine, nine-from-10."
Last game, Adams was criticism by NBA great Charles Barkley for a "bush league play" on Portland's Damian Lillard.
Adams set a perfectly legal screen on Lillard, which sent the Portland guard tumbling to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Barkley said the screen was a "good play", it was also "bush league".
Newshub.
