Thunder’s Steven Adams knocked around in Game 2 loss

Midway through the first quarter, the 7-footer was shaken up when the Warriors’ Festus Ezeli landed hard on his back and head as the two battled under the basket for a rebound.

In the second, he took the unkindest of knocks, a knee to the groin from a driving Draymond Green that had him doubled over and initially unable to walk back to the bench, having to stop and wait for help from his teammates.

After recording only six double-doubles in 80 regular-season games, Monday’s 16-point, 12-rebound game was his sixth in 12 playoff games.

“It’s been great for me as a coach to see Steven continue to evolve and grow offensively,” Thunder head coach Billy Donovan said of the 2013 first-round pick.

The Thunder had won all seven games this postseason when Russell Westbrook recorded 10 or more assists.

Donovan said before the game that he didn’t want his team easing up, despite having already done what every road team has to do in the playoffs if it hopes to advance: win on the other team’s court.