For the third consecutive year Steven Adams and the Oklahoma City Thunder are 3-1 down in a first round NBA playoff series, and barring a minor miracle they will again fail to make it into the second round of the extremely difficult Western Conference.
The difference this year comparedwith the last two, is that it's Steven Adams who could easily become the fall guy for OKC.
Two years ago the blame was simply put on the loss of Kevin Durant the season before, and OKC's lack of talent.
Last year Carmelo Anthony bore the brunt of the franchise's failings and was traded in the following off season.
His form was so good in the early parts of the season he was mentioned as a potential All Star.
But none of that matters in the NBA unless you play well in the play-offs, and Adams has been a big let down in their current series against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Steven Adams has been outplayed by Portland Trail Blazers center Enes Kanter. Photo /AP
The scene was set for Adams to be a star in the series. Portland had lost their best centre Jusef Nurkic to a nasty injury just weeks before the post-season began. It meant Adams would be going head-to-head against his former OKC backup and fellow 'Stache Brother' Enes Kanter for dominance around the rim.
The match-up was meant to work in favour of Adams.
Both are great rebounders, but Adams is a far superior defender and was expected to shut Kanter down while dominating the Turkish player at the other end.
It wasn't inconceivable that Adams would be used a lot more frequently at the offensive end taking away some of the responsibility of All Stars Paul George and Russell Westbrook.
And OKC tried. In game one, the ball was often thrown to Adams in the post - he responded by scoring 17 points and collecting nine rebounds.
But he was outplayed by Kanter who had 20 points and 18 rebounds in the 104-99 win for Portland.
OKC trailed by 13 points across the game with Adams on the floor.
It was worse in game two, his plus/minus dropped to -22, when he had 16 points and nine rebounds. His lack of ability to dominate close to the hoop allowed Portland to play with smaller players and not be punished without the ball.
Adams was great defensively in game three of the series. He only had 10 points and seven rebounds but had the best plus/minus of his side with +18.
But the good performance was shortlived as Adams was so poor in the game four loss (plus/minus of -21), that he sat on the bench for most of the fourth quarter, with coach Billy Donovan choosing to go for a smaller more agile line-up to try and mount a comeback.
Steven Adams attempts to get a shot off in game three of the NBA playoffs series against Portland. Photo / AP
Donovan did the same with Carmelo Anthony in last year's playoffs. And then he was traded in the offseason.
Adams certainly isn't the sole reason OKC have been underwhelming in a series they would have backed themselves to win.
Westbrook and George, who the side heavily rely on, have been inconsistent with their shooting, and the side's usually stifling defence has been picked apart by Portland's guards Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
But should the OKC bow out tomorrow or over the next three games, George and Westbrook are unlikely to be scapegoats.
Westbrook is the darling of the franchise, he's been there since he was drafted and holds just about every record the side has to offer, while also sticking with them when other stars have left.
George is finishing the first year of a four-year US$137-million contract and has been in the conversation for the league's Most Valuable Player award throughout the current season.
That leaves Adams, the side's third best player who has just finished the second year of a four-year US$100-million contract.
Overall he's playing well, but is not doing enough to warrant taking up that much of the NBA's $US101.89 million dollar salary cap.
- Joshua Price is a sports reporter for Radio Sport.
