When the Houston Rockets made the trade for Steven Adams before the 2023 trade deadline, they knew it would be some time before he saw the court. Adams was already ruled out for the season after missing the last half of the 2022-23 season with a knee injury.

The Rockets (30-14, No. 2 in the West) are 9-3 in January, and one clear contributing factor is the presence of a suddenly healthy Steven Adams.