Oklahoma City Thunder: Steven Adams struggling with a knee injury, will continue to play limited minutes

What's the rumor?

Steven Adams has missed three of the Oklahoma City Thunder's opening 14 games of the season, and the Kiwi featured for just 24 minutes during Oklahoma City's defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. Adams' previous absences have been attributed to knee pain, and Billy Donovan told The Oklahoman that his starting center was still struggling with the injury:

Obviously we’re dealing with Steven’s knee still. I don’t want to say he’s on a minutes restriction, but we’re trying to be mindful and keep him in a range.

In case you didn't know...

After impressing for the Pittsburgh Panthers, Steven Adams was drafted by the Thunder back in 2013. Following a promising rookie year, Adams was promoted to the starting lineup during the 2014-15 season, and the 7ft 0 in center played a significant role as the Thunder came within one game of reaching the 2016 NBA Finals.

After years of playing in the shadow of Russell Westbrook, Adams was tipped as a potential All-Star heading into the new season. However, the 26-year-old's performances have been largely muted - averaging just 7.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

The heart of the matter

Adams hasn't looked fully fit during the opening weeks of the season, and his performances have certainly dipped compared to last year. In Nerlens Noel, the Thunder have a more than capable replacement, and Adams may benefit from a spell on the sidelines so that he can overcome his recent injury troubles.

What's next?

Despite competing well, the Thunder have suffered back-to-back defeats to the LA Clippers and Lakers. Nevertheless, they return to Chesapeake Energy Arena on Friday to once again take on the Lakers, before traveling to take on the struggling Golden State Warriors.