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OAKLAND — Center DeMarcus Cousins, coming off his second major injury in 16 months, was a surprise hero in the Warriors’ win over the Raptors in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night.
But after posting 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 28 minutes, Cousins says there is more where that came from.
“I’m far from a finished product. That’s the encouraging part about all of this,” Cousins said during Tuesday’s media session in advance of Game 3 on Wednesday night at Oracle Arena.
“I know I’ve got a lot of work to do, I know I’ve got a lot of room for improvement.”
Cousins, the 28-year-old four-time All-Star, tore his left quadriceps muscle on April 15 in Game 2 of the Warriors’ playoff-opening series against the Los Angeles Clippers. At the time, his chances of returning to his first-ever NBA postseason were considered slight.
“They told me it’s a small window I could come back and play,” Cousins said.
The injury was particularly devastating on the heels of an Achilles tendon tear at midseason in 2017-18, which kept him on the shelf for nearly a full calendar year following surgery.
But after rehabbing the latest ailment for six weeks, Cousins played eight minutes in Game 1 at Toronto, then had a huge impact in the Warriors’ 109-104 victory in Game 2.
Andrew Bogut says the Warriors should be optimistic about what Cousins can provide going forward.
“Same thing, if not more. He definitely can give more,” Bogut said of Cousins. “He was just different last game. He was locked in defensively from the start, putting a lot of pressure on Marc (Gasol). He was a presence in the paint when he caught the ball. Was making the right plays. He was just engaged the whole game.”
With Kevin Durant and possibly Klay Thompson out for Game 3, Bogut said the Warriors can run their offense through Cousins at times.
“We definitely can. That’s a luxury we have when the game slows down in an NBA Finals series, it’s nice to have a post threat like DeMarcus, who can pass the ball really well and can also get us a bucket,” he said.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Cousins’s biggest impact on Game 2 was on defensive against Gasol, who scored 20 points three days earlier.
“Yeah, he obviously came out with a certain game plan against Gasol. The first possession of the game he went out and damn near tackled him, and then the ball went out of bounds and he clobbered him again on the way out of bounds,” Nurse said. “So he was obviously going to go out there and try to physically intimidate him.”
Gasol scored just six points on 2-for-7 shooting in Game 2.
Bogut, who scored six points on three alley-oop finishes, said he and Cousins relish their tag-team approach to defending the paint.
“Two big bodies. Hopefully we can continue to be physical and put pressure on them,” Bogut said. “We know play a really small rotation, so the more we can bang them around and hit them the better.”
Cousins credits Bogut with being a significant influence on him since Bogut returned to the Warriors after playing at home in Australia earlier this season.
“Bogues is an incredible player. He’s done it at the highest level. His experience, just the way he goes about the game, you’ve got to appreciate guys like that,” Cousins said. “He’s helped me, being a veteran in this game, I’m still being helped by guys older than me.
“His mind, when it comes to the defensive side of the ball, is incredible. That’s something I look up to him for. He’s helped in so many ways.”
To get back to this point after the quad injury, Cousins had to do a lot of the work himself, working diligently on his rehabilitation under the watchful eye of the Warriors’ medical and training staffs.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had my dog days. I pouted, I sulked, I felt sorry for myself. I just started the process. Me sitting around feeling sorry isn’t going to help me get on the floor.”
Cousins said he feels fine after his long stretch on the floor Sunday and is ready for more. “Whatever it takes,” he said.
Deep down, Nurse had visions that Cousins might start to again be the player he’s been throughout his career.
“He played great. And I figured — he’s an All-Star player. He’s got tons of talent. He’s a big body,” the Raptors’ first-year coach said. “I figured as the series goes on and he gets the timing back and things, he’ll keep playing better.
Bogut wasn’t surprised, either.
“At the end of the day, you still have to realize he’s an All-Star, a great player in this league, he’s one of the best big men. He’s just dealing with some issues with his body,” Bogut said. “Having that confidence that, `Hey, I know I’m a little banged up, but I can still give more.’
“For him to come out with that effort for us was sensational.”
Although he called what he was able to do Sunday “an incredible feeling,” Cousins said he has not otherwise stopped to take in the moment. This has been an arduous journey, but there’s little time to reflect during an intense Finals series.
“I haven’t enjoyed it yet. I’m not really trying to,” Cousins said. “Once everything is over and I can kind of sit back and chill, I’ll reminisce on it.”
Especially if he can help write a happy ending to the story.
