Wood’s return creates good problem
Cousins will try to continue resurgence off bench after surge as starter
Told that center Christian Wood declared himself to be back, his ankle “100 percent,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas grinned broadly under his mask. Of all the issues he has navigated in his first month as an NBA head coach, having more players than minutes was one he was happy to face.
Wood, who had been the Rockets’ most reliable player through the opening weeks of the season before spraining his right ankle, is expected to return against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. But
while he was gone, DeMarcus Cousins took off, playing far better as a starter in those three games, all Rockets wins, than he had off the bench.
“I have a lot of thoughts that need to go into that situation at the five spot,” Silas said.
He’s not the only one. Wood, who had his season high of 31 points against the Trail Blazers and averages 23.5 points per game, is the NBA’s third-leading scorer among centers, ranking 11th in rebounding. Cousins has averaged 17.3 points, 14.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists in the past three games. The goal would be for the Rockets to get all that Wood was providing before he was hurt without losing the level of play they got from Cousins when Wood was out.
“DeMarcus has been looking amazing, looks like he’s back to his old self,” Wood said. “You know we’re going to need that from him. I’m just happy see that from him. John (Wall) and Vic (Oladipo) are two competitive guys. Then you add me in there another guy who likes to go out and compete, now you have a team full of dogs on the floor who are ready to prove themselves and show what they’ve got.”
The Rockets on Thursday will likely change their starting lineup for the ninth consecutive game, using their 13th different configuration in the season’s first 17 games. But the latest version, depending on whether Danuel House Jr. reclaims the starting small forward spot he held before he went out, could last a while.
Though that could allow the Rockets to develop the depth and continuity they have lacked, Cousins’ ability to play with the second unit as he has as a starter could be key.
“It’s hard to do,” Silas said. “But I think the fact that (Cousins) had some success over these last three games will help him moving forward, making sure that he has enough time on the floor to play well and making sure that we’re doing things so he can play to his strengths.
“It’s a harder role coming off the bench. When you’re a starter and you’re
given more leeway and your minutes are up and you’re not playing behind Christian Wood — who is really playing well — it’s a lot easier for Cuz as a starter.”
Cousins’ relative struggles off the bench could be in part about his working off the rust after missing all of last season. But throughout
his career, he has been less effective in limited experience off the bench.
As a starter, Cousins has averaged 21.6 points, 11 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 32.3 minutes per game, making 46.1 percent of his shots and 33.4 percent of his 3s. In 31 games as a reserve, including 12 this season, he has averaged 9.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 21.1 minutes, making 39.2 percent of his shots and 21.9 percent of his 3-pointers.
“We’ll see how that scenario plays out,” Cousins said. “All I can do is be ready when my name is called, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
Tuesday’s win over the Wizards, with Cousins scoring 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting with 11 rebounds and four steals, came on the third anniversary of his ruptured Achilles against the Rockets. He played just 30 games the following season and missed all of last season after an ACL tear. But he has looked healthy. The recent difference, he said, came with confidence gained through rehabbing.
“Confidence is so important to this game,” Cousins said. “You can go train for hours and hours and hours. If you don’t have the confidence to back that training, it’s damn near pointless. Confidence is increasing. I’m getting my legs underneath me. I’m believing in my abilities to go out there and do certain things. I’m believing in my body to carry the load. It’s just a combination of things you have to have to get over the mental hurdles I had to get over to perform at a certain level.
“I won’t say I’m completely there yet, but I’m on the right path.”
The same can be said for the Rockets, who have built a modest three-game winning streak against shorthanded opponents. But getting players back returns Silas to the “work in progress” description he has used since before the season began. Still, it’s better to work with players playing well or, in the case of this season, playing at all.
“Whether he’s starting or I’m starting, whoever’s starting or maybe even us playing together — that’s what I’d like to see more of: me and him playing together — I feel like we’ll establish a great chemistry,” Wood said. “It’s going to be great.”