KJ Adams’ block made Thomas Robinson smile. But there’s a bigger takeaway for KU

KJ Adams Jr. trailed the race to the basket by three strides, but I’m telling you, everyone inside Allen Fieldhouse knew how it would finish. And they were right, by the way.

The most spectacular moment of a Kansas 73-64 victory against Missouri came from a play in which the ball didn’t go through the hoop. But only because Adams did everything to ensure it wouldn’t. He caught Missouri freshman Anthony Robinson II from behind, soared into the air and blocked his layup into oblivion.

The man with perhaps the most interesting perspective of the sequence — or at least the perspective I was most interested in hearing— stood at the complete opposite end of the court, a row behind the Kansas bench.

Thomas Robinson.

He had a block in this rivalry game once before. You might remember it. If not, they played it on the pregame loop what seemed like a half-dozen times and then a couple more during a halftime ceremony that hung Robinson’s No. 0 in the rafters.

“To have a moment like that — at Kansas — is something special,” Robinson told me.

Wait, his block or the one from Adams?

A smile.

“Both.”

Robinson’s block came in the bigger moment. The swat from Adams provided a bigger thud.

The commonality? Those plays offered only a peek at their days.

Robinson willed KU back to an overtime win against Mizzou on that February 2012 afternoon, with 28 points and 12 rebounds to cap the two teams’ final meeting before an eight-year separation.

Which gets to the heart of the story Saturday in Lawrence.

A hell of a block.

But so much more.

The Tigers dared Kansas to beat them in a different way than the No. 2 team in the country had won its other eight games: with Adams’ offense.

Missouri coach Dennis Gates was kinder in his explanation — “you just force a team to do something different that they hadn’t done as much,” he said — but frankly, he didn’t need an explanation. His game plan is what offered Missouri the chance to dream for about 14 minutes.

Adams was the one to crush it.

With Missouri dead-set on double- or triple-teaming star center Hunter Dickinson in the lane, and who could blame them, it left Adams and guard Elmarko Jackson with some looks. Jackson had a highlight — a four-point play that offered KU its first lead in more than 14 minutes.

But Adams had a game. He’s been having them, in case you haven’t noticed, and it’s all the more remarkable considering what life outside of basketball has been like this season. His mom, Yvonne, died last month after a long battle with cancer.

On multiple occasions, Adams has since remarked that he’s playing for his mother. Maybe it’s coincidence that he’s playing the best basketball of his life. Maybe not.

“He’s been our best player the last three games,” Kansas coach Bill Self said.

On Saturday, his best arrived at the very best time. Adams hit four jumpers — yes, jumpers — to help punctuate KU’s 20-2 run to end the first half. It was the difference. He was the difference.

“If a team’s not going to guard one of our best players, that’s up to them,” Dickinson said.

Dickinson said that flippantly, as though he was surprised an opposing team would do such a thing.

He shouldn’t be surprised when it happens again, because it will, particularly as KU approaches Big 12 Conference play that will include more than a bit of scouting. Missouri did the Jayhawks a favor in that way.

They won’t be the last team aware that KU is as good as any team in the country in scoring points in the paint. Not the last team to know this isn’t the best outside shooting roster Self has had. And it won’t be the final one to make somebody other than Dickinson win the game.

“As long as teams play that way, Hunter’s going to be neutralized in a way,” Self said. “I mean, there’s nothing that you can do that will help him out — unless you can spread it.”

Which encapsulates Missouri’s game plan. And to Gates’ credit, that deviated from the scheme he had a year ago, a constant press that on the back end left KU open all day. A different opponent, even if the jersey was the same, prompted a change of course.

And it might’ve worked.

If not for that one guy.

Adams led KU with 17 points, and to be sure, it would be oversimplifying his day to focus solely on a couple of jump shots. Or solely on the block. He actually led the team with five assists. Self would credit a screen with setting up an easy Dajuan Harris bucket. The tape will certainly show more.

But the offense could have the lasting effect — or it could at least be what KU requires most in the future for a player who began his career in Lawrence as something of a defensive matchup replacement. This was a glimpse into what we’ve all wondered for quite a while.

What will KU do when someone tries to take away Dickinson?

“I guess I just have to start hitting those shots,” Adams said, “until they guard me.”