Steven Adams Cleared to Return for Rockets Against Spurs

The NBA's resident brick wall is officially back in business. According to Underdog NBA, Steven Adams has been cleared to play Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs after sitting out the Houston Rockets' season-opening win on Wednesday with a calf issue.

It has been a minute since we saw the big man actually set a screen that separates a guard's soul from their body. Adams hasn't seen the floor in a meaningful game since January, when a sprained right PCL ended his season and sent him into a grueling rehab process.

"Underdog NBA reported Adams is available to play Friday."

When healthy, Adams is a walking glass-cleaner who averaged 8.6 boards and 5.8 points in his last active stretch. But keeping him on the floor has become a full-time job. The guy looks like he could wrestle a bear for a parking spot, yet his lower body has the structural integrity of a Jenga tower in an earthquake.

His return is massive for a Houston rotation that desperately needs his veteran presence and elite offensive rebounding. For anyone eyeing the prop markets, Adams' minutes will likely be heavily managed out of the gate, so do not expect him to suddenly log 35 minutes and pull down 20 boards.

The real test comes immediately. Adams gets to make his season debut by trying to box out Victor Wembanyama, which is basically the basketball equivalent of trying to guard a create-a-player glitch. If his calf holds up against the Spurs' alien, the Rockets might actually have their enforcer back for good.