Three Things We Know About the Thunder After Two Scrimmages

Steven Adams is in Game Shape

Billy Donovan is praising Steven Adams for his ability to stay in game shape while on hiatus. "He has done a great job with his conditioning."..."Think being back in New Zeland, he really kept himself in great shape." Donovan also says that he could tell Adams first day at practice that his stamina was were it needed to be to compete on an NBA level.

Though two scrimmages Adams is has 28 points and 16 rebounds in 37 minutes. More importantly, he seems to be getting up and down the court without looking gassed.

Adams is key to the Thunder's success in the playoffs. Oklahoma City could face Rudy Gobert, Nikola Jokic, and Ivica Zubac throughout their run.

While Nerlens Noel and Mike Muscala can hold their own, Adams is the most physical of the three and will be needed to bang around with some of the biggest players in the Western Conference.

Andre Roberson Should See More Playing Time

I'll admit this is an overreaction to what we've seen in two scrimmages, but Roberson looks more comfortable shooting the ball than he did before his injury. During the Thunder's win over the 76er's, Roberson nailed back to back clutch fourth-quarter threes one to give Oklahoma City a 98-97 lead.

Roberson's newfound offensive prowess will excite fans. Still, the Thunder signed him to a $30-million contract for his elite defensive skills, and yesterday Donovan should have taken advantage of his ability to guard shooters on the parameter. With the Sixers hitting at a 35 percent clip from beyond the arc, it would have been nice to see Roberson get the opportunity to run with the starters.

If Donovan is going to mix and match based on his opponents' personnel, then Roberson is an excellent option to have when you run into a hot three-point shooting team.

Darius Bazley Is Better Than Before The Break

Another overreaction, but, with Abdel Nader in the concussion protocol and no timeline for his return, Darius Bazley is the most logical choice to come off the bench and replace Danilo Gallinari. His 13 and 7 performance vs. Philadelphia was a preview of just how good he can be given the time to develop.

You have to love his ability to outlet pass off defensive rebounds to start fast breaks, the knee bone bruise that kept him out of the last 11 games before the shutdown doesn't seem to be an issue, plus he's bigger and stronger than he was four and a half months ago. Bazley's only concern will be consistency.

Can he perform like he did vs. the 76ers night in night out? Donovan didn't think he was particularly good in the Celtics scrimmage, but he's only 20, and he's 6-8, and if Donovan is right about his ability to play four positions, then he could turn out to be one of Presti's best draft picks.

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With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past six seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa.

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