Minor miracle? Cousins is back in practice
The Warriors on Thursday afternoon didn’t draw the curtain typically used to block media from viewing rehabbing players’ workouts.
Apparently, they wanted everyone to witness the miracle.
DeMarcus Cousins, considered by many to be done for the postseason when he crumpled into a heap with a torn left quadriceps April 15, was playing competitive basketball just 5½ weeks after enduring the injury.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a partially torn quad is usually immobilized for three to six weeks, and then another month is needed to reduce the swelling, regain range of movement, strengthen the leg and enhance cardio.
But the Warriors said Cousins practiced in the team’s full-court session Thursday, and after the doors of the downtown Oakland facility were opened to media, the 6-foot-11, 270pounder participated in half-court drills of three-on-three and one-on-one.
The four-time All-Star didn’t display a noticeable limp and even dribbled around uber-athletic Damian Jones at one point.
“Initially, I thought it was worse than what it was,” Cousins said in his first public comments since the injury. “There was obviously a panic, but once the doctors came out and I realized what it was, I gathered myself from a couple of days of frustration, anger, sadness and all of the above. I told myself to get back to work and do it all over again. That’s what I did, and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
Cousins echoed a statement from the Warriors’ public relations department that said: “It’s anticipated that he will play at some point during the 2019 NBA Finals, but the exact date is to be determined and depends on his progress.” His status will be updated Wednesday, a day before Game 1 at either Milwaukee or Toronto.
Interestingly enough, Cousins credited the past year — a whirlwind of rehabbing a ruptured Achilles, being written off as damaged goods by most of the NBA and signing a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Warriors — in preparing him for the latest trials.
“I feel like that’s what adversity does: It always builds you up and makes you stronger for the next bump,” he said. “That was one of my darkest moments, dealing with the Achilles. I feel like I was in a stronger mental capacity when it came to dealing with this one. Not to say that it’s been easy, but it’s a more comfortable situation.”
Even with a towel draped over his head and sporting his customary dour expression, Cousins’ desperation to return for the NBA Finals was palpable.
It would be easy for Cousins to want to play in the postseason, because it didn’t happen for the first eight years of his career — 535 games with Sacramento and New Orleans. He logged only 25 minutes in these playoffs before being injured.
Cousins was in line for a five-year, $180 million contract before the 2018 Achilles injury.
“I think people know what I can do,” he said. “It’s just about me being healthy. Of course, I want to be out there to help my team and to play the game that I love to play. I also just want to be healthy. This is an opportunity to do that.”
It’s unclear exactly when Cousins will return during the Finals, or how much he could contribute if he were hobbled as the pace of the play zips to new levels at this time of the season. But he’s already helped the Warriors’ run to their fifth straight championship series.
When Kevin Durant was injured May 8, Cousins followed the scoring sensation into the Warriors’ locker room. Noticing that analysts, fans and, most importantly, his teammates weren’t even paying attention to the game when he returned to the bench, Cousins let his voice be heard.
“I told the team to focus on the game,” Cousins said. “I said: ‘K’s OK. Let’s go out and get a win.’ ”
The Warriors won that game and the following one to eliminate Houston and advance to the Western Conference finals, extending the season long enough that Cousins just might be able to get back into the game.