Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Cousins out with torn quad
OAKLAND, Calif. — DeMarcus Cousins has a torn left quadriceps muscle that will sideline the Warriors center indefinitely, a devastating injury that the two-time defending league champs feared was serious when he went down in the first quarter of their first-round playoff loss to the Clippers.
An MRI exam Tuesday on Cousins’ left leg revealed the tear. The Warriors said Cousins will begin rehabilitation immediately and updates will be “provided as appropriate.”
Coach Steve Kerr said after the Warriors squandered a 31-point lead in the 135-131 Game 2 loss on Monday night that Cousins would be out for a significant period.
Playing in just his second career postseason game after a nine-year wait, Cousins went down in the first quarter in front of the Warriors bench after swiping a ball from Patrick Beverley in the backcourt. He immediately grabbed at his left quad. Cousins hobbled to the locker room at the 8:09 mark.
Cousins had just returned in January from a nearly yearlong absence following surgery for a torn left Achilles tendon suffered while with the Pelicans last season.
He had two points, two rebounds and an assist in less than 4 minutes Monday. He fouled out of Saturday’s 121-104 Game 1 win with nine points, nine rebounds and four assists in 21 minutes.
“I’ve been through something like that, getting hurt, getting all the way back and then getting hurt again, so I know how frustrating it is,” Warriors center Kevon Looney said. “He is a resilient guy. He’s been through adversity before and I know he’s going to bounce back.”
Looney picked up more minutes with Cousins’ injury and scored a careerhigh 19 points while making all six of his shots in 19 minutes. Kerr is likely to use a combination of shotblocking presence Andrew Bogut and Looney.
Stephen Curry expects the backups to fill the void, with Jordan Bell also likely in the mix.
“They’ve been playing amazing the last part of the regular season and these first two games,” Curry said. “It may look a little different considering the skill and talent and level that Boogie can bring when he’s healthy.”