NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: ROCKETS vs WARRIORS

April 28, 2025

Steven Adams

Game 4 - Postgame Media Conference

Golden State Warriors 109, Houston Rockets 106

Q. Steven, what did you see from Alpy tonight to be as aggressive as he was inside especially in the second half?

STEVEN ADAMS: That's what it was, being aggressive. That's the key thing. Not worried so much about the outcome of the shot. Mainly the aggressiveness, that's the main value of how he needs to attack. It not the outcome of the shot. Because if he's playing that aggressive, the manipulation of the defense, you'll see it.

If you're passive on there, the defense won't move, so it's tough to get the back sides and get openings. He did a really good job in that sense.

Q. How are you seeing the Warriors adjust to the double big lineup now that you guys have used it in a couple different games against them?

STEVEN ADAMS: How did they adjust? Again, they are just executing and throwing out different lineups. They went with their own kind of double-big, so they had like a dunker -- I for got his name -- the Jackson Davis, so they played him during our double big, having him dunk a spot, and same with Gary Payton on that side. That was different because they had two, like, non-shooters. Yeah, again, they are just throwing different things at the double big. And then were doing a pretty good job as adjusting as we go to what personnel is coming in and just treating it accordingly, yeah.

Q. You've been in a lot of playoff battles. What is the message going home facing a Game 5 elimination?

STEVEN ADAMS: Focus on the game. Nothing more. Nothing less. It's another game. We learned some things this game. We've been learning this whole time. You know, this whole series has been really about for us. Just go into Game 5. Make some adjustments if needed, and get ready for another battle.

Q. Each game here seems to feature a lot of flailing limbs from Draymond, scuffles, stuff like that. Does that personally annoy you at all or roll off your back?

STEVEN ADAMS: It's just part of the game. It's highly competitive out there. As you know, the playoffs is a different level of competition from regular season, from any of that.

Look, people are just playing hard, you know what I mean. People play really hard, sometimes things happen. It's not ill intention. I think you're just trying to win.

Q. Do you view all of what he's doing as inside the bounds, so to speak?

STEVEN ADAMS: Well, yeah, that's what the refs are for. If it's anything outside of that, the refs will call it. It's nothing to do what we think. You don't need to waste your time speculating on any of that. We've got enough to think about in the game. The referee's job is make sure that they stay within the boundaries.

Q. In that first scrum in the first half, it looked like you and Post looked like you were playing the peacemaker. Is that wrong?

STEVEN ADAMS: I guess so. It's just one of those things where, look, the game, just trying to separate them. Just keep it basketball, you know. Don't want it to get it too ugly and make the game lame, you know what I mean. Because it will make it lame if there is like a lot of tussles and stuff.

Again, it's natural, highly competitive environment, all that sort of stuff. Emotions are going to run high. You don't need to like, you know, overdo it, you know what I mean. Just stay within reason, mate. It's okay. A little back and forth and carry on playing, mate, you know what I mean. It will be a good game after that.