A win against teams like that can build a spark to the locker, but being on the losing end creates questioning on where the Kings need to improve their roster.

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The Kings find ways to look solid for four quarters by relying on the two-way prowess of former all-star Domantas Sabonis and the point guard wizardry of De’Aaron Fox. He currently averages 16.3 points, 11.1 rebounds (8th best in the League), and 6.1 assists per game. In the three games played in November, the center has averaged 36 minutes a game which is the most amongst others in his position.

In this case, the Kings’ frontcourt depth isn’t as solid as Brown would have hoped to start the season. However, their 2010 fifth overall pick DeMarcus Cousins believes he has the intangibles at 32-years-old to push the Kings out of their 16-year playoff drought in a recent Twitter reply.

In his seven years with the Kings from 2010-2017, Cousins averaged 21.1 points per game. His last two seasons with the franchise were one of the most dominant showings of a big in the modern era, as he averaged over 25 points a game to pair with a double-double in rebounds. Not to mention, Cousins also recorded a 56-point outing, the third most among active NBA centers.

Boogie hasn’t been the same since tearing his quad and ACLbut is still capable of turning back the clock to his All-Star level of play. In his current form, Boogie is a reliable force down low; he can spread the floor as an occasional floor spacer and rebound at a fearsome pace off the bench.

Cousins has become a journeyman in the latter stages of his career due to the injuries above. However, being a significant contributor on a playoff squad could help him become a franchise legend and help him land a job on another team if he so chooses.

The post DeMarcus Cousins Believes He Can Contribute to Kings Making a Playoff Push appeared first on SLAM.

Hip-hop references have permeated the pages of SLAM since our premier issue hit newsstands back in ’94, from cover lines, spine lines and story titles to Drake being the first rapper on the cover (SLAM 198). But Issue 214 was something different.

Back when old guys like me used to go to physical stores to buy music, album covers meant everything. We would flip through CD racks and search for the joints that weren’t just what the billboard charts told us were hot. Where the opportunity to listen before you buy was often scarce, a project would be judged by its artwork instead of its content. Records that consistently stood out more than the rest were usually the work of Shawn Brauch, founder and head designer of Pen & Pixel. His distinctive style characterized the style of hip-hop coming out of the south. The designs were bold and flamboyant and captured the themes being communicated through the music, namely: women, cars and bling.

When DeMarcus Cousins joined Anthony Davis in New Orleans in early 2018, something of that southern exuberance felt like it was being recaptured. The South had something to say and pulling Pen & Pixel out of retirement was the perfect way to express it. The cover of SLAM 214 stood out on newsstands (like they usually do!) in the same way Cash Money and No Limit Records did in the year 2000. It was the perfect way to celebrate this collaboration of premier big men.

As fate would have it, Cousins tore his Achilles the day after this cover came out and the duo never quite brought what the city was hoping for. Even so, this remains one of our most iconic covers. Kevin Durant even crowned it his favorite in a recent interview.

The Boogie and AD link-up may not have created historic basketball memories on the court, but it did produce what is arguably one of our greatest covers of all time. I’m still waiting on the mixtape…

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 214 Featuring Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins From March of 2018 appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: The Denver Nuggets are planning to sign center DeMarcus Cousins to a rest-of-season contract in the coming days. Cousins’ final 10-day expired over the weekend. He’s averaged 6.1 points and 6.3 rebounds with Denver, where he’s reunited with Michael Malone.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 22, 2022

Cousins averaged 6.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in eight games with the Nuggets. He’s signed 10-day contracts with the Bucks and Denver throughout the 2021-2022 campaign as COVID-19 has devastated the League nearly all season. In 17 games with Milwaukee, Boogie averaged 9.1 points and 5.8 boards per game, earning five starts.

The four-time All-Star has moved around the League since suffering devastating leg injuries with the Pelicans, Warriors, and Lakers, although he never donned the purple-and-gold. The 31-year-old Kentucky product has played for the Kings, Pelicans, Warriors, and the Rockets.

The post REPORT: Nuggets to Sign DeMarcus Cousins For the Rest of the Season appeared first on SLAM.

The Nuggets brought him in for a physical and a testing process with plans to sign Cousins after the Bucks waived him nearly two weeks ago.

DeMarcus Cousins will sign a 10-day contract with the Nuggets today, per @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/B2r6Ef222s

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 21, 2022

The Sacramento Kings’ 5th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft was signed as the Nuggets start a long stretch of road games. Denver will be on the road for six games during his tenure with the Nuggets beginning with a matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, followed by a game against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

Before being released by Milwaukee, Cousins averaged 9.1 points and 5.8 rebounds over 17 games, including a season-high 22 points against the Dallas Mavericks.

After being considered one of the NBA’s best centers in his first six seasons in Sacramento, Boogie’s career has been ravaged by injury, forcing him to become a journeyman since being traded to the Pelicans during the 2015-16 season. After playing less than two seasons for the New Orleans Pelicans, he only played 30 games for the Golden State Warriors in 2018-19. 

Then when he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, he tore his ACL in an offseason workout in Las Vegas. Since then, Cousins has had short stints with the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Bucks. 

The post REPORT: Denver Nuggets Sign DeMarcus Cousins to 10 Day Contract appeared first on SLAM.

The Denver Nuggets are planning to sign free agent center DeMarcus Cousins to a 10-day contract, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 9, 2022

Cousins had a very productive, albeit short, run with the Milwaukee Bucks. In the 17 games Boogie played with the club, he averaged 9.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game. His release from the team was considered a business decision to open up a roster spot before the trade deadline. According to insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Bucks GM Jon Horst had some glowing comments about Cousins and his contributions while on the roster.

On waiving DeMarcus Cousins to open roster spot for trade deadline, Bucks GM Jon Horst tells ESPN: “We wouldn’t have been able to get through this difficult stretch of the season as successfully as we did without DeMarcus…He was so good for us and hopefully we helped him too.”

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 6, 2022

Injuries have derailed the big man’s career since being traded from the Sacramento Kings. After tearing his Achilles in New Orleans, he missed the entire 2019-20 season and a chance to play with the title-winning Los Angeles Lakers after tearing his ACL in the offseason. Since then, Cousins has played sparingly with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Bucks, as mentioned above.

If he passes a physical and finishes the testing process, he will be reuniting with his old coach from Sacramento, Mike Malone, on Tuesday when Denver takes on the Los Angeles Clippers.

The post REPORT: Nuggets In Works To Sign DeMarcus Cousins To 10-Day Contract appeared first on SLAM.

The Bucks will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Wes Matthews now. Rest of team continues to undergo testing. https://t.co/M6hwEir2YV

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 15, 2021

The Milwaukee Bucks can’t catch a break with injuries and illness in general. Khris Middleton was listed as questionable after suffering hyperextended knee Monday against the Celtics; Shams Charania reported that Donte DiVincenzo entered protocols too ahead of his season debut DeMarcus Cousins (personal reasons), Brook Lopez (back surgery), and Semi Ojeleye (calf strain).

Antetokounmpo averages 27.0 points,11.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, while Wesley Matthews has averaged 2.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in four appearances. Matthews signed with the Bucks two weeks ago.

Tuesday’s report leaves the Greek Freaks status for a Christmas Day matchup against Boston in jeopardy. Antetokounmpo, Matthews, and DiVincenzo must return two negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart or miss 10 days. The Bucks (18-11) will be playing six games over the next 11 days, starting with their Pacers game. The gauntlet concludes next week against the Celtics at home.

The post REPORT: Giannis Antetokounmpo Out Against Pacers After Entering COVID-19 Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

With Milwaukee lacking size because of Brook Lopez’s continued absence due to lower back issues, the team took a flier on Cousins, 31, with a non-guaranteed that would become guaranteed if he can last until January 7.

The Milwaukee Bucks are signing four-time All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins to a non-guaranteed deal, multiple sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 28, 2021

The Clippers hope signing Cousins will help stabilize the bench while providing more experience in the locker room. On the floor, his 3 point ability and post moves can provide more frontcourt help for Giannis Antetokounmpo. In limited minutes with the Clippers, Cousins averaged 7.8 points per game on 53.7 percent shooting from the field, including 42.1 percent from behind the arc.

DeMarcus Cousins has career averages of 20.4 points and 10.6 rebounds over ten years. He was once considered one of the top centers in the NBA before he tore his Achilles tendon and ACL that seem to have robbed him of his physical gifts. Before his injuries, Cousins was a four-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA second-team selection.

After spending the bulk of his career with the Sacramento Kings before his trade to New Orleans in 2017, Boogie has bounced around the NBA, signing free-agent deals with the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston, the Clippers, and now the Bucks.

The post REPORT: Milwaukee Bucks and DeMarcus Cousins Agree to Non-Guaranteed Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Cousins was signed to a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers last week, and head coach Ty Lue has hinted that Cousins will remain on the roster when the contract expires.

“We look forward for him to continue on, he was big for us,” Lue told media on Wednesday. “His playing, just knowing the game and IQ, to be able to shoot it, to post up, and bring physicality is great for our team.”

Cousins played in 25 games this year for the Houston Rockets before being cut. He averaged 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and started in 11 games.

Cousins has played in three games since being signed to a 10-day contract by the Clippers. In those three games, Cousins has 9.7 minutes, 6.0 points, and 3.0 rebounds per game.

The Clippers are 39-18 this season and are third in the Western Conference. In the three games that Cousins have played, the Clippers are 3-0.

The post Clippers’ Ty Lue Hints that DeMarcus Cousins Will Remain on Roster appeared first on SLAM.

The Los Angeles Clippers plan to sign center DeMarcus Cousins, pending clearance of NBA health and safety protocols, multiple sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 31, 2021

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the deal could be a 10-day contract but a decision isn’t expected until next week.

Free agent center DeMarcus Cousins and the Clippers are discussing a 10-day contract, but no decision is expected until next week, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 31, 2021

Cousins is one of the League’s most popular players, and despite having dealt with injuries, still plays with physicality and strength. He has a technically-sound post-up game, passing ability and shooting touch that extends well beyond the 3-point range, and has managed to post decent numbers.

This season, Cousins was averaging 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks in 20.2 minutes per game—albeit on a worrisome .511 true shooting percentage—before being released by a Houston Rockets team that desired to play smaller. Notably, in 11 starts, Cousins averaged 13.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game, while posting a .547 true shooting percentage.

Further details about the four-time All-Star’s potential deal will be provided as they come.

The post DeMarcus Cousins to Sign Contract with Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

As first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Rockets and Cousins are reportedly planning to part ways in the coming days. Houston is looking to go smaller and younger in the frontcourt when Christian Wood returns from his ankle injury.

According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Lakers will be among the teams to pursue Cousins, although the market will be limited for him. This makes sense, especially considering how thin they are with Anthony Davis out for the next four weeks or more. Although he ended up not playing due to injury setbacks, Cousins spent last season with the Lakers.

While the market may be limited, there should be a handful of contenders who should at least explore the idea of signing Cousins. Thus far in the 2020-21 season, he’s averaged 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting .336 from beyond the arc. 

The post Lakers Could Be Next Landing Spot For DeMarcus Cousins appeared first on SLAM.

However, more details about the events leading up to the biggest trade of 2021 have emerged, as The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Kelly Iko report that Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas led a team meeting that cemented Harden’s impending departure.

In that meeting, both John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins—newcomers but veterans with a high level of respect and cache league-wide—confronted Harden:

“…Sources say multiple teammates expressed displeasure with Harden’s recent body language and effort. Silas had asked if anyone wanted to share their unfiltered views, and the dialogue about their dysfunction began from there.

John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins both spoke during the meeting, sources said, seeking a direct response on Harden’s level of commitment and preaching about the importance of accountability.”

Harden, who made his initial request to be traded prior to the 2020-21 season, had made headlines by choosing not to join the Rockets in favor of partying in metropolitan cities. In effect, Harden was taking the same tact that many other athletes have used during contract holdouts: refusing their services until there’s a resolution to their situation.

With the wheels already in motion once he finally returned to the court, Harden appeared to play disinterestedly; his commitment to his teammates and organization clearly wasn’t there. This understandably drew the ire of his teammates, who rightly felt as if they had done nothing to earn Harden’s disrespect.

However, while Harden’s tactics can be questioned, this situation is now anecdotal evidence for why star players’ trade requests should be granted. Houston gained little to nothing—besides drama and dysfunction—by trying to hold on to a player that wanted to move on from their franchise after eight seasons.

The post John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins Confronted James Harden In Team Meeting appeared first on SLAM.

As momentum builds toward a James Harden trade, the rest of the team has spoken about the state of the franchise.

“My interest is to play with John Wall, to be brutally honest,” offseason acquisition DeMarcus Cousins told the media, including The Athletic’s Sam Amick. “The disrespect started way before.”

While Harden’s desire to be traded was first reported in November, the Rockets attempted to make the situation with the 2018 NBA MVP work. That hasn’t gone according to plan.

“We feel a certain type of way about some of his actions,” Cousins continued. “This is the nasty part of the business that kind of gets swept under the rug.“

First-year head coach Stephen Silas has been at the helm of the Rockets and has worked diligently to try to navigate the precarious situation. He, naturally, took umbrage with the 31-year-old’s Tuesday night comments that the team wasn’t good enough.

“That’s hard to hear, especially when you don’t believe it and you know it not to be true,” Silas said.

Related: What we know about James Harden trade possibilities

The post DeMarcus Cousins: ‘The Disrespect Started Way Before’ appeared first on SLAM.

There haven’t been any specific setbacks, Cousins’ agent Jeff Schwartz tells SLAM, but the former All-Star is intent on returning at full strength and in a situation that’s going to be a good fit for him.

Cousins received offers back in June as teams looked to fortify their rosters for the bubble but turned them all down in order to continue to focus on a rehabilitation process complicated by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

After three serious lower body injuries in two seasons, it’s of utmost importance that Cousins is fully ready before he suits up and plays.

Though Schwartz says Cousins is ‘very close’ to ready, it’s the second half of the season that’s going to matter for the 30-year-old in a pivotal comeback season.

After a positive playoff run with the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA playoffs, Cousins tore his left ACL in a practice with the Los Angeles Lakers that August.

He remained with the Lakers and, despite being waived so they could free up the roster spot to sign Markieff Morris, used the team’s facilities for the duration of the 2019-20 season.

Cousins’ dominant career hit its first big snag in January, 2018 when he tore his left Achilles as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans. He averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists alongside Anthony Davis that season.

Now nearly three years later, the unrestricted free agent will face the task of returning as close to form as possible, even if that means remaining on the sidelines come Dec. 22.

The post DeMarcus Cousins ‘Very Close’ to Return From ACL Tear appeared first on SLAM.

Davis and Cousins became teammates on the New Orleans Pelicans in February of 2017. In fact, they made the cover of SLAM Magazine together shortly after. During interviews for the cover story, Davis spent some time talking about Cousins and how much he enjoyed being around him.

He’s soft, man—he’s a teddy bear, honestly. Of course he gets this rep about being a certain type of guy, but honestly he’s really not like that. Off the floor he’s one of the coolest guys I’ve ever been around. He gets perceived as this angry type of guy. You really just gotta know him to know him, honestly. You just can’t go off what the media tries to perceive him to be.

It seemed as if this could be one of the most dominant big men duos of all time. At the time, Davis and Cousins were two of the best bigs in the entire league. Unfortunately, injuries to Cousins ended up never allowing the two of them to play together long enough to make much noise.

You could tell how much Cousins has meant to Davis over the years. In the 2018 NBA All-Star game, he wore Cousins’ jersey since he was injured and unable to compete.

Last summer, Cousins signed with the Lakers shortly after Davis was traded to Los Angeles. It looked like the two of them would get the chance to play together once again. Another Cousins injury would hinder the opportunity.

Cousins ended up tearing his ACL before the season started and never played in a single game with the Lakers. He was ultimately cut to create roster flexibility for the Lakers, but was granted access to keep using team facilities.

Regardless, Cousins still spent a good portion of the season with the team, making him eligible to receive a championship ring of his own along with Davis. The friendship between Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins goes much deeper than just on the court teammates.

Related: AD just clicks with Rajon Rondo, his former Pels teammate

The post Anthony Davis Connected with DeMarcus Cousins After Clinching Title appeared first on SLAM.

Cousins, 29, will continue rehabbing his ACL injury and prepare for a return next season. According to Charania, multiple teams had expressed interest in Cousins prior to his decision to sit out the rest of the season.

Cousins tore his left ACL in August during a workout in Las Vegas. In February, the Lakers waived Cousins in order to sign Markieff Morris.

RELATED: John Wall Pushes For Wizards To Sign DeMarcus Cousins

The post DeMarcus Cousins To Sit Out 2019-20 NBA Restart appeared first on SLAM.

“Oh you know I’m trying to push for that,” Wall recently told Marc Spears of ESPN. “I’ve been on that for like five years.“

As Cousins, now a free agent, continues to rehabilitate from his third major lower body injury in three years, the four-time NBA All-Star has emerged as a popular subject of speculation.

“He’s healthy. I don’t know if he’d play right now but I know he’s healthy,” Wall said.

Cousins’ health is what threw a wrench in his 2019-20 plans. A torn ACL in July thwarted his opportunity to suit up for the Los Angeles Lakers after signing a one-year, veteran minimum contract last summer.

Cousins was released in February in order to free the roster spot the Lakers used to sign Markieff Morris but he’s continued to work out in Los Angeles and was reportedly open to re-signing in the future.

Of course Cousins isn’t obligated to return to the Lakers and could be interested inking a deal with Wall and the Wizards, a team buoyed by Wall and All-Star Bradley Beal but relatively light in the frontcourt.

In his wide-ranging discussion with Spears, Wall spoke of his relationship with Cousins – which stretches back to when they were 14 years old – and he confirms that he’s discussed the idea of signing Cousins with Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard.

Cousins, who will turn 30 this year, is just two years removed from averaging 25.9 points, 12.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2017-18.

Cousins’ run with the Pels came to an abrupt end when he tore his Achilles. Since then he’s suffered a serious quadriceps injury and torn his ACL.

The post John Wall Pushes For Wizards To Sign DeMarcus Cousins appeared first on SLAM.

While the Lakers have floated the idea of Cousins potentially being healthy enough to join the team for the playoffs, it’s worth noting that the team was granted a disabled player exception for him earlier this season, consistent with a league doctor confirming that his torn ACL would sideline him through mid-June.

The decision to part ways with Cousins doesn’t likely have anything to do with what the team thinks of him. More importantly, Cousins’ release would free up a roster slot.

The team has been connected to Markieff Morris, the Pistons forward whose buyout from Detroit is imminent.

As for Cousins, if reports that he could potentially be healthy in time for the postseason, a team could take a flyer on him. Since he’s being cut from the Lakers before March 1, he’d be eligible to play for a new team in the playoffs.

The post Lakers To Waive DeMarcus Cousins appeared first on SLAM.

Cousins, who tore his left ACL during a pickup game last summer, says he is “pretty confident” he can play a meaningful role.

Teammate LeBron James and the rest of the organizational braintrust, however, insist they’re focused on Boogie getting healthy first and foremost.

Per ESPN:

Appearing as a guest on Showtime’s “All the Smoke” podcast with hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Cousins explained what his role could look like in the postseason.

“We got a big team. It’s going to be some bump, for sure,” Cousins said. “We got so many guys with different abilities. I mean, I can spot up. Bron [LeBron James] is going to draw everybody whenever he decides to move. I’m pretty confident I can knock down the shot. We got shooters all over the floor. I mean, I can playmake. Like, it’s pick your poison.”

James was asked if the team is thinking about Cousins’ eventual return.

“Listen, first, his health is the thing we’re mostly engaging in and watching him. And he’s progressed every single day, every single month,” James said after practice Thursday, the Lakers’ first group session following the All-Star break. “To the point where he was limping and now he’s actually shooting and actually jumping on the jump shots, and progressing every single day, every single week. He’s out there right now, getting his work done.

“We want to continue to stay optimistic about his health. We don’t want no setbacks, as he’s had before in the last couple years. But his health is most important, and if we can get Cuz anywhere back to what he was capable of doing a couple years ago, it’s a plus for us. But there’s no pressure on him. There’s no pressure on our ballclub to have him out there right away, or whenever that case may be. We want him to be healthy and have a great, clear mind and a great attitude, which he’s done since he’s gotten here.”

Related DeMarcus Cousins: ‘I Had No Business Being On The Floor’

The post DeMarcus Cousins Hoping to Join the Lakers’ Playoff Run appeared first on SLAM.

“That’s when you lay your body on the line. I went out there and I gave it what I had. I helped in spots,” Cousins told Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on their All The Smoke Podcast. “But I wasn’t supposed to be on the floor.“

Cousins’ torn quad, his second of three major lower body injuries in less than two years, came in the first-round of the Golden State Warriors’ run to the 2019 NBA Finals. He suited up in Game 1 of the team’s clash against the Toronto Raptors.

“I rehabbed a torn quad in six weeks. I had no business being on the floor.”

The big man was visibly compromised during the six-game series but played a major role in the team’s Game 2 victory and still averaged a respectable 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in just 18 minutes per game.

Cousins, of course, moved on from the Warriors in the offseason and now finds himself employed by a Los Angeles Lakers team that he hasn’t been able to suit up for yet on account of a sprained ACL.

Ironically, an underlying theme to his personal 2019-20 campaign is the fleeting possibility that he could return from the knee injury to play in the 2020 postseason.

Whether he should or will, is the question.

“He’s on track to get healthy by the playoffs and we’ll have to see where he’s at with rhythm, and conditioning, and timing and all that stuff,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said over the All-Star Break. “But there is a possibility he returns this season, yes.“

Unlike the situation with the Warriors in 2018-19, where Cousins had several months of familiarity with Golden State’s system, a late season return would serve as Cousins’ initial debut with the squad.

That poses complications in addition to just preparing and adjusting physically. Still, if the NBA Finals shift back into view for Cousins, he may be hard-pressed to resist.

The post DeMarcus Cousins: ‘I Had No Business Being On The Floor’ appeared first on SLAM.

The case, filed in Alabama, has now been dismissed.

The charges were levied in the weeks following news that Cousins would miss the 2019-20 campaign with a knee injury, not long after inking a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

We wrote about the initial charges and the arrest warrant that had been issued for Cousins back in August.

The news will clear Cousins to focus on recovering from the torn ACL injury that ruined a potential comeback campaign in Los Angeles following an abbreviated season with the Warriors.

Cousins signed on for $3.5 million to help LeBron James and Anthony Davis lead the franchise back to the postseason.

While the Lakers haven’t formally closed the door on the idea of Cousins returning to the court this season, it’s worth noting that the league awarded the team a disabled player exception for Cousins, which means that a third-party doctor ruled it likely that the big man’s injury would keep him sidelined through mid-June.

The post Charges Against DeMarcus Cousins Dropped appeared first on SLAM.

Cousins, 29, underwent offseason surger to repair a torn ACL in his left knee.

Boogie inked a one-year, $3.5 million free agency deal to join Los Angeles this summer, but got hurt during a pickup game.

Per ESPN:

“We’ve not closed the door on that,” Vogel said Sunday before the Lakers played the Charlotte Hornets. “We’ll just — we’re going to be a wait and see. With these injuries that are long rehabs, you have to see and take it kind of month to month and see where he’s at. But we’ve not closed the door on a possible return for him.”

The Lakers scrambled to fill his spot at center, signing Dwight Howard to a veteran’s minimum deal, and they applied for and were granted a $1.75 million disabled player exception (half of Cousins’ salary), which they must use by March 10 on a replacement player or it will expire.

“Guys that are out for a prolonged time that aren’t going to be in the rotation we typically don’t travel with,” Vogel said. “But … I don’t think we’ve made the final decision on that yet.”

Related Lakers Granted Disabled Player Exception For DeMarcus Cousins

The post Lakers Have ‘Not Closed the Door’ on DeMarcus Cousins Returning appeared first on SLAM.

In order for the league to award the DPE, an NBA-designated physician must determine that the player is “substantially more likely than not” to be out through at least June 15 of the current NBA calendar year. Cousins tore his left ACL in mid-August and is unlikely to play this season.

The DPE allows a team to use half of the injured player’s salary or the amount of the non-taxpayers’ mid-level exception (the lesser of the two). The Lakers have until March 10 to use the $1.75 million exception, which is half of Cousins’ salary.

The exception does not dwindle throughout the season, as it is not prorated based on time left in the season like the minimum salary is. So while offering the $1.75 million exception to a veteran now would not be enticing since the minimum salary for a player with over four years of experience is greater than that amount, should the team wait until after the trade deadline (buyout season), it would have a resource that could actually pay more than the veteran’s minimum would for the remainder of the year.

The post Lakers Granted Disabled Player Exception For DeMarcus Cousins appeared first on SLAM.

Teams apply for the disabled player exception when they believe a third party doctor will rule a player out through at least June 15 of the following year. Cousins, with a torn ACL, was not expected to suit up for Los Angeles this season.

If approved, the Lakers will be able to sign a player for a predetermined amount of half the injured player’s salary (or the non-taxpayer’s MLE, whichever is lower) or acquire one in a trade. Since Cousins signed a $3.5 million, one-year pact in July, the DPE was pegged at $1.75 million.

The Lakers are roughly $10 million over the salary cap but have room to onboard a replacement player without creeping into luxury tax territory. There’s no rush, however, for the franchise to use the DPE, considering that it won’t expire until March 10.

If the DPE is approved and the team seeks to use it, they’ll have to first clear a spot. As we wrote about last week in our breakdown of the Lakers’ roster, L.A. already has the max of 20 players heading into training camp. They would need to part ways with one of those players before signing a replacement.

The post Lakers Apply For Disabled Player Exception Following DeMarcus Cousins Injury appeared first on SLAM.

The charges come to light days after a scathing audio tape was released by TMZ, in which a person alleged to be Cousins threatens the mother of Cousins’ child.

Reporting on this matter earlier this week, Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times revealed that Christy West, the woman on the tape, would have to sign a warrant for charges to be placed.

According to TMZ, Cousins can be heard threatening to put a bullet in the head of West if she didn’t allow their child to attend Cousins’ wedding last week.

The NBA, Ganguli writes, is aware of the situation and is investigating accordingly.

The troubling report comes on the heels of a third major leg injury in less than two seasons for Cousins. We wrote earlier this offseason that Cousins had suffered a torn ACL and would miss much of the 2019-20 campaign.

After a recovery year in Golden State following his 2018 Achilles injury, Cousins signed with the Lakers on a one-year, $3.5 million pact.

The post Arrest Warrant Issued For DeMarcus Cousins appeared first on SLAM.

The Purple and Gold, however, are reportedly considering Howard as a matter of “due diligence” in the wake of DeMarcus Cousins‘s torn left ACL.

Dwight, who played one season for the Lakers in 2012, says he would love another opportunity to hoop in L.A.

Per The LA Times:

“I would tell [Anthony Davis] to just enjoy the moment and enjoy this season,” Howard told The Times. “When I was here, unfortunately things happened where we didn’t win, guys got hurt, but I enjoyed the city, I enjoyed the people and I had some really great relationships with people that came from being out here.

“So there were some positives. We just didn’t win that season, and that’s what happens when you play basketball. Things may look good, but injuries and other issues may happen and things might not work out, but I still had a good time in L.A.”

While the Lakers tried to re-sign Howard, putting up billboards around town pleading with him to “Stay,” Howard ended up turning down the team’s five-year, $118-million offer. He instead signed a four-year, $88-million deal with the Houston Rockets. He would be the first of many stars to turn down the Lakers in free agency, but Howard thinks that will change now with [LeBron] James and Davis in Los Angeles.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do love L.A.,” Howard said. “Staples Center is going to be rocking this season. When I played there it was rocking every night. The atmosphere is crazy, not just for the Lakers but the Clippers too. I just think all the hard work they’ve put in is paying off now. They’ve always been viewed as the Lakers’ little brother, but they decided to stand out and be different and you have to thank guys like Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul for laying the foundation for this team, and then what Doc [Rivers] has done has been great. This is just all that hard work paying off.”

Related Dwight Howard Thanks Kobe Bryant for Calling Him ‘Soft’

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“We’re all crushed for him,” Kerr said.

Video footage emerged of Cousins getting hurt, and the 29-year-old, four-time NBA All-Star appeared to suffer a non-contact injury.

Per SF Chronicle:

“I saw it; I’m devastated for DeMarcus,” Kerr said during a U.S. men’s national team practice Thursday. “I read it on the way to practice. It’s been a couple of years of hell for DeMarcus.”

Kerr highlighted the torn Achilles tendon that kept Cousins — now with the Los Angeles Lakers —sidelined for much of the 2018-19 season, as well as the quad injury that limited him in the postseason.

“I was really hoping that this would be [the] year for him, upcoming with the Lakers, where he could get healthy, get his rhythm, get his conditioning and really start his comeback,” he said. “We’re all crushed for him. Everybody in this gym, all these fellow players and coaches. This is a small community and so everyone’s been talking about and we’ve all reached out to him. We all just feel terrible for him.”

Cousins’ Lakers teammate Kyle Kuzma also weighed in on the injury after the Team USA practice.

“He was going to be a big part of what we’re going to do,” he said. “It’s no joke when you get injured. This is our livelihood and is something that we love to do. It’s super unfortunate for a guy like DeMarcus. You can tell how much he loves basketball through all these injuries — he’s fought back and tried to get back as early as possible. That’s kind of how the ball goes sometimes.”

Related Draymond Green at a ‘Loss for Words’ Over DeMarcus Cousins’ Torn ACL

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Green was especially crushed after looking forward to watching Cousins “destroy everybody” this upcoming season.

Draymond, however, added that Boogie has made it out of tougher situations in his life.

Per ESPN:

“One of my goals coming into this season was for DeMarcus to destroy everybody and come back and show how great of a player he is and get what I think he deserves,” Green told The Undefeated’s Marc Spears. “I’m really at a loss for words about it. It’s one that really hurt me for sure.”

USA forward P.J. Tucker said the Cousins news was “heartbreaking.”

Green says that if anyone can overcome this series of injuries, it’s Cousins.

“He made it out of Mobile, Alabama,” Green said. “The NBA is tough, very tough to get to, very tough to stay in.

“But he made it out of Mobile, Alabama. If he can do that, he can do anything.”

Related DeMarcus Cousins: Los Angeles Lakers ‘Roster is Incredible’

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Update #1, 12:58 pm: DeMarcus Cousins has suffered a torn ACL, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. The big man is expected to undergo further medical tests to confirm the diagnosis.

A long two years may get slightly longer for DeMarcus Cousins, one of the latest additions to an already formidable Los Angeles Lakers team. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that the big man has potentially suffered a knee injury.

Cousins was scrimmaging in Las Vegas on Monday when he was forced to leave the court. He’ll undergo further testing in Los Angeles today to reveal more about the potential setback.

After injuring his Achilles in January of 2018 and eventually rehabilitating with the Golden State Warriors over the course of the 2018-19 season, Cousins suffered a partial quad tear during the 2019 NBA postseason.

Cousins was able to return to action for the Warriors before the end of the playoffs but stood to benefit from a full offseason of rehabilitation and workouts.

Uncertainty about Cousins’ health no doubt contributed to the lack of market awaiting him in free agency this summer. Eventually, Cousins inked a one-year, $3.5 million deal to suit up alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles.

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Durant credits Brooklyn’s “creative” front-office for what they’re building.

KD adds that teaming up with fellow superstar Kyrie Irving “wasn’t a thing we planned.”

Per Yahoo Sports:

“If I was leaving the Warriors, it was always going to be for the Nets,” Durant said. “They got the pieces and a creative front office. I just like what they were building.”

The Nets will have to be patient before seeing the duo of Durant and Kyrie Irving playing together. Irving is one of Durant’s closest friends in the league, and the Nets are banking on that relationship creating a positive chemistry on the court.

“I think the friendship part of the league has really grown, especially since LeBron James and Dwyane Wade became such great friends and ended up playing together,” Durant told Yahoo Sports.

“People see friendship as the way guys are teaming up. There’s nothing wrong with people speculating. That’s just what it is, but we’re just good friends no matter what. We didn’t have to play together. It wasn’t necessary. But, we were friends before anything, and we just happened to want to hoop together. But it wasn’t a thing we planned. It just came together.”

Related Bobby Portis: Players Knew Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving Were Going to Brooklyn

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Durant, 30, reports that he had targeted that pivotal game all along for his return to the court.

KD adds that his now-former teammates wished him well after he decided to join the Brooklyn Nets as an unrestricted free agent.

Per Yahoo Sports:

“Hell, no. How can you blame [the Warriors]? Hell, no,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “I heard the Warriors pressured me into getting back. Nobody never said a word to me during rehab as I was coming back. It was only me and [director of sports medicine and performance] Rick [Celebrini] working out every day. Right when the series started, I targeted Game 5. Hell, nah. It just happened. It’s basketball. S— happens. Nobody was responsible for it. It was just the game. We just need to move on from that s— because I’m going to be back playing.”

The 2018-19 season was a tumultuous one for the Warriors. It was widely assumed Durant was leaving the Bay Area at the end of the year and that speculation escalated after the incident with Draymond Green mid-November.

It’s a conversation Durant is tired of and he rolls his eyes when the subject comes up.

“Hell, yeah, I’m tired of talking about that s—. Look, we’re grown men,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “We understand what this is. We’re playing basketball for a living. It’s a business. Everybody congratulated me when I went to the Nets. Everybody wished me well, and they know that I’m still a phone call away. So, I just happen to play in a different jersey now. Nothing else is going to change.”

Related Kevin Durant: ‘It’s Going to Be a Journey But I’m Built for This’

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Davis, 26, will become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and says only then will a decision be made.

AD hopes to celebrate his first NBA championship in Los Angeles in mid-June.

Per ESPN:

You’ve come here and said already, “I’m here to win titles.” Rob Pelinka told the media, “Anything less than a championship is not a success.” Are you guys worried you’re setting the bar a little bit too high here?

AD: “No. We have a standard, and that is it, you know. Especially for me as a player. If I don’t win the championship, then that season was not a success.”

At your introductory press conference, they introduced you as someone who they hope will be a “pillar of the Lakers for a decade to come.”

AD: “Yeah.”

You’re only signed through this season. Do you think you will be a pillar of the Lakers for years and years to come?

AD: “Honestly, Rachel, I’m just focused on this season. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I have one year here, so I’m going make the best of this year. And when that time comes around in the summer or, you know, whenever the season’s over — hopefully, around, you know, mid-June, after we just had a parade, and I need a couple days to think — then we can talk about that. But until then, I’m trying to do whatever I can to help this team win this year.”

Related Anthony Davis Would Put Lakers Roster ‘Up Against Anybody’

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Curry, 31, says he loves the talent the Warriors have assembled after Kevin Durant left as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Steph is looking forward to an “interesting year” for the re-tooled Dubs.

Per The Athletic:

“Hell, nah,” Curry replied when asked if he would do load management. “We’ve got a great opportunity to build something special with some hungry guys looking to prove themselves. There are so many narratives people can throw at us. But at the end of the day, I’ve never been the type to show up with any other mindset than to do what you do — hoop. We’ve got championship DNA. We know that. We’ve got our core, when Klay gets back. It’s going to be an interesting year, for sure, all the way around. It’s going to be challenging to really find that momentum early. But with the new arena, losing the Finals, this summer is a different vibe. Keeps you locked in.”

It’s been a while since the Warriors have been in this position — building chemistry, developing young players, growing together.

“It will be fun for everybody,” he said. “It’s a new challenge. I love the talent we’ve got. We just don’t know what it’s going to look like because we’ve never done it before.”

Which is why, Curry said, the Warriors need Draymond Green. He helped build it and will be key to doing it again. Back in 2015, when Green was due a contract extension, Curry would, in the middle of the game when Green made a play, catch the attention of Warriors co-chairman Joe Lacob and tell him to “pay that man.” Curry is of the same mind now as Green is due a contract extension.

“I feel like he’s proven how valuable he is to a championship team and can find ways to get even better,” Curry said. “They know what’s up.”

Related ‘I’m Excited’: Stephen Curry Ready to Lead New-Look Warriors

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“Everybody wants a new challenge,” says Curry, who reflected on the departures of Kevin Durant through free agency, the Andre Iguodala trade, Klay Thompson‘s torn ACL, and the acquisition of D’Angelo Russell.

Curry, 31, is “the oldest on the team now,” and realizes he’ll have to carry a much larger burden for the Warriors.

Per The Mercury News:

“It will develop as we get together as a group. A lot of changes. It’s a tough way to end the Finals with K.D. and Klay getting injured, and obviously free agency. For us, our core, myself, Klay (Thompson), Draymond (Green), adding D’Angelo and a lot of hungry, young guys trying to prove themselves in the league, it’ll look different in terms of the lineups and things like that. But the expectations of how we play, that championship-caliber basketball, that for us will always be the motivation and the challenge.

“I’m excited, to be honest with you. Five straight years in the Finals and we’ve accomplished a lot, and three championships. There’s a lot to be proud of. But everybody wants a new challenge in terms of how do you get back to that level.”

Did the free agency changes catch you off-guard in terms of what the Warriors did, and when you look at the league, especially the Western Conference with the Clippers and Lakers? How do you size it up?

“There’s a lot of change, and it’s like this every summer, just now it’s with the biggest names in the game. The West is always tough. It’s been that way since we started this Finals run back in 2015, and I think it’s going to continue.

“In terms of what we did this summer, I’m really proud of our front office trying to put the pieces together and filling out the roster with talented guys that are going to be hungry to prove themselves in the league and obviously D’Angelo with the year he had last year. We’re all going to figure it out together. It’s going to be an adjustment. We talked about this when Coach Kerr took over back in 2015. We had proven success in terms of being a playoff team and just had to finetune it a little bit. Now that we’re champions and experienced that, it’s just about finetuning with the personnel that you have. We have a high basketball IQ so I’m confident we’ll figure it out.”

Related Stephen Curry Flew to Hear Kevin Durant’s Decision Face-to-Face

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Cousins, 28, inked a one-year, $3.5 million deal: he says the Lakers “look legit” on paper and should be NBA title contenders next season.

Boogie reports that his “quad is 100 percent healed,” and is especially thrilled to re-unite with Anthony Davis and join forces with fellow superstar LeBron James.

Per ESPN:

“That’s part of the reason why we wanted to become teammates again,” Cousins said of teaming up with Davis on a conference call with Lakers media Wednesday. “We realized how much better we made one another and how much we made the game easier for each other. We both appreciate each other’s presence.

“To add LeBron James to the mix, his résumé speaks for itself. One of the greatest players ever to play the game, added to that, it should be an exciting season.”

With the Lakers surrounding James and Davis with the likes of Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, JaVale McGee, [Rajon] Rondo, Quinn Cook and Jared Dudley, Cousins sees a powerful squad.

“The roster is incredible,” said Cousins, who could start at center with Davis at power forward. “I think we got a lot of talented pieces on paper. On paper we look legit, we look like we have a great chance of competing for a title. It’s obvious that the game isn’t played on paper. It’s our job to come together and mesh and get on the same page and build a chemistry and go out and win games. As far as on paper, we look great.”

Related Report: LeBron James to Play Point Guard for the Lakers

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James, 34, had designs on playing closer to the basket in 2018-19, but head coach Frank Vogel is said to want him to initiate the Purple and Gold’s offensive attack.

Free agent acquisition Danny Green is expected to start in the backcourt alongside ‘Bron.

Per Yahoo Sports:

The new-look Los Angeles Lakers are heading into the 2019-20 season with the intention of starting LeBron James at point guard, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

James, 34, will be entering his 17th NBA season and is prepared to become the floor general in an effort to maximize a roster that’s suddenly built to contend for a championship with the addition of All-Star forward Anthony Davis and a few complementary pieces.

James was limited to a career-low 55 games in his first season with the Lakers because of a groin injury, but he has since recovered and is in great shape with no restrictions, sources said.

With the league being so point-guard driven, head coach Frank Vogel will look to unleash another element of James’ game.

Related Anthony Davis: Teaming Up With LeBron James ‘Something That’s Special’

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The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a one-year deal with DeMarcus Cousins, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. Cousins will unite with former New Orleans Pelicans teammate Anthony Davis on a genuine 2020 title contender.

The market for Cousins ran dry after the initial frenzy of free agency activity this summer. It took the Lakers striking out on Kawhi Leonard to finally take the plunge and come to terms on a deal with the uber talented but injury-plagued big.

Cousins joins a number of other rotation pieces who’ve quickly agreed to sign on with the Lakers and help round out their rotation behind Davis and LeBron James.

Related: Lakers, Rajon Rondo agree to two-year deal

Cousins averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game for the Warriors last season in just over 25 minutes a night. His 2018-19 campaign was limited, however, as he spent the first half of the season on the mend, recovering from an Achilles injury.

Cousins returned, but ultimately tweaked his quadriceps in the first-round of the postseason. Boogie then returned again in the Finals and looked simultaneously sluggish and masterfully talented. A star in a giant’s body charged with the task of returning to game shape on the game’s biggest stage.

The 28-year-old’s passion and skill for his size are unmatched. If able to return to full health, he’s going to be a monumental addition for this re-tooled Lakers roster.

Although Cousins end with the Pelicans in the summer of 2018 was unceremonious, his relationship with Davis was reportedly solid. David Aldridge of The Athletic reports that Davis’ pitch to his former teammate was centered on the premise that they could win the championship. While a goal in New Orleans, that wasn’t necessarily realistic.

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Cousins faces unique challenges on the open market and there’s no shortage of intrigue surrounding his value or perceived lack there of. Yesterday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said on SportsCenter that there’s no market for him, adding that he doesn’t even foresee Cousins landing the mid-level exception that he signed last summer.

Cousins battled back from an Achilles injury in the first half of last season but averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in the 30 games that he did play for the Warriors. His value and overall health then took another hit in the first-round of the postseason when he suffered a quad injury that held him out of action until the Finals.

While it’s worth noting that Wojnarowski is clearly bearish on the big man, he dismisses a scenario that may still prove possible and could potentially be Cousins’ ticket to a moderately notable payday: latching on with a team that strikes out in its bid for a max player.

At this stage in free agency only one max player remains, Kawhi Leonard, and the two Los Angeles teams are sitting on north of $30 million apiece in cap space. Wojnarowski may have the impression that neither team is very enthusiastic about the idea – and his sources are world class – but that may change when Leonard is off the table and Cousins suddenly becomes the highest ceiling impact player available.

Another team that isn’t in the running for Leonard but still has roughly $20 million available is Dallas. Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News tweeted yesterday that the Mavs were infatuated with Cousins prior to his injuries. While the circumstances are much different now in the summer of 2019 than they were then, it’s not impossible to picture a fit there.

So, when Leonard does end up signing somewhere, leaving at least two and potentially three of those teams with money to burn, we’ll see a series of reactionary transactions as they scramble to carry out their offseasons.

Perhaps they all have other contingency plans in their back pocket that don’t involve pursuing Cousins but resisting a technically healthy, skilled passing big man just two years removed from being a top-10 league asset is easier said than done.

Make no mistake, the market hasn’t been kind to Cousins the past two summers but with power agent Schwartz at his side and another flurry of free agency activity waiting to come when the Kawhi Leonard domino falls, anything could happen.

Worst case scenario, if Wojnarowski’s read on the situation is spot on, Cousins could always end up back with the Warriors. It’s unlikely they could offer even the 120% raise on his $5.7 million 2018-19 deal after all the posturing they had to do for the D’Angelo Russel sign-and-trade, but they’re an organization he’s familiar with that suddenly has some holes to fill.

Where do you see Cousins hanging his hat in 2019-20? Let me know in the comments below.

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Curry wanted to let KD know how much he appreciated their time together in The Bay.

The two superstars reportedly never developed the type of close relationship Durant supposedly craved, and hopes to form with Kyrie Irving in BK.

Per The Athletic:

Stephen Curry flew straight to the New York area from Shanghai, China. But he wasn’t going to pitch Kevin Durant on why he should stay with the Warriors. It was already too late. He was on the plane when the news broke that Durant was leaving for Brooklyn.

And Curry didn’t turn the jet around or cancel the trip. Because it wasn’t about recruiting. It was about respect. It was about thanks.

His trip to New York was seen as a last-ditch effort to keep Durant.

But Curry went to have one last moment with Durant as teammates. To tell him one more time how much he appreciated him for the three years they had. They’d won two championships together. Dominated the league together. Made history together. He was there to wish Durant happiness and peace, express his support for his decision. And when Curry got to Durant’s apartment in Manhattan, Durant confirmed to Curry his decision that their time together was over. Face to face. Man to man. Friend to friend.

Related Report: Knicks Unwilling to Offer Kevin Durant a Max Deal

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“It says a lot about who we are as a team and what we’ve been through,” adds Curry.

The two-time MVP had the Warriors over at his house after they were eliminated by the Toronto Raptors in Game 6 of the NBA Finals for a “celebration of just how special this journey has been.”

Per Complex:

Obviously I know you guys came up short this year but give me an idea of how this run compared to last year.

Curry: “This year was 10 times harder, physically and emotionally for sure. All the tough blows we were dealt on the way with injuries, you got three guys getting pretty significant injuries throughout the course of the playoff series, they were important guys and I would answer that question by saying I’m even more proud of how we handled it and how we fought to the end this year. There’s really no reason other than our sheer fighting ability and competitiveness that we were within a possession to get to Game 7. It says a lot about who we are as a team and what we’ve been through. It sucks to lose and we’ll be thinking about for a long time, but we battled and gave ourselves a sliver of hope until the end to get the job done.”

So how long do you think the sting of losing this one is going to last for you?

Curry: “I mean, the sting is pretty much done by now, but I’ll be thinking about it until we start playing again. That’s part of the nature. You kind of go back and revisit what’s the best option for this game and what you could’ve done differently. Part of what the docu-series is mostly showing is the most special thing I have and the most important thing I have is my family and the experiences that we get to go through so those are definitely a set perspective that I try to bring that stuff home with me, even the night after we lost Game 6, we had the entire team at the house and we were drinking some wine and having some fun, talking about the crazy year that we had and it was nothing like somber or down about any of it. It was more like a celebration of just how special this journey has been and knowing that it’s not over yet so I think in turn having people that support you, having your family, and you getting to share them it definitely helps keep things into perspective and not make it more tough to lose than it already is.”

I’m curious if your free agency monitoring habits are going to be changing at all this summer.

Curry: “Not really, I mean, we got two guys that are in the boat, going through it, so they’re closer to their decisions or whatever. But the league changes pretty much every year and like I said earlier there’s some surprising moves and big names changing teams. But nothing should surprise anybody anymore in terms of how crazy free agency gets and the reaction and the storylines over the course summer are sometimes even bigger than during the season just because how big the NBA is. I’ll be tuning in and obviously AD already being traded it’s going to be a wild summer like it always is.”

Related Steve Kerr: Golden State Warriors’ Dynasty Not Over

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Kerr hopes Klay Thompson (torn ACL) and Kevin Durant (ruptured Achilles) “can be really good again” and re-sign with the Warriors.

Kerr adds that he has “unbelievable confidence” in general manager Bob Myers navigating the Dubs through a summer of deep uncertainty.

Per The Mercury News:

“No. I don’t look at it or think about it in those terms,” Kerr said. “I really don’t. Steph is going to be back next year. Draymond is going to be back. We’re going to have a bunch of players from here and we can still be really good, assuming we get some breaks health wise. Klay and KD – they can recover and can be really good again. So I don’t look at it from that standpoint at all.”

Granted, Kerr admitted the uncertainty ahead knowing that Durant and Thompson are guaranteed to miss a significant chunk of games because of their injuries.

“It’s hard to even picture what next year’s team will look like at this point,” Kerr said. “We’ll see how it all shakes out. We’re hoping to have both of those guys back. If that’s the case, it’ll be great. But neither one will be available for quite a while to play. So our team is going to look a lot different next year.”

And that is why the Warriors believe they can still thrive even if they no longer remain championship favorites. They might not have as many All-Stars this season. They still have the right people and infrastructure to absorb any shocks to the system. No wonder Kerr relayed that other coaches and colleagues around the NBA often told him this past season “was more impressive than your championship years.”

“Anything that happened, here we were with a chance to force a Game 7 in the Finals without some key guys. We were right there,” Kerr said. “We’ll continue to survive and thrive.”

Related Draymond Green: ‘We Went Out Like Oakland Would Want Us to Go Out’

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Draymond Green says Golden State went down fighting, “like Oakland would want us to go out.”

Steve Kerr, perhaps not-so-jokingly, suggested the Dubs “just need to take a sabbatical next year” after losing superstars Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson to devastating injuries.

Per The Athletic:

“It’s will man,” Green said. “It’s heart. We don’t give up.”

This was goodbye to Oracle [Arena]. This was the end of an era, officially and dramatically. This place was never perfect. This team was far from it this year. And Green’s performance wasn’t perfect.

“I love that dude, man,” DeMarcus Cousins said. “That’s my brother for life. If I ever go into a hole and I knew it was some scandalous shit, and I could choose one person in life and it’s a chance we might not make it out, I’m going into that muthafucka with Draymond. I will go to war with that dude anywhere.”

No, he didn’t win Thursday night. Game 6 belonged to the better, healthier team. But he delivered a fitting performance for Oracle’s last game.

“It’s a complete honor,” Green said. “This city has given so much to us. Obviously, we didn’t finish the way we wanted it to finish. But in the end, we went out like Oakland would want us to go out. We went down fighting.”

Related Draymond Green: ‘We’re Born for These Moments’

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Thompson says they should cheer especially hard in honor of the injured Kevin Durant.

Golden State has KD on their minds as they look to force a Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors, who hold a 3-2 series lead.

Per The Athletic:

“I expect our fans to be the loudest they have ever been, especially in the name of Kevin and bringing his type of spirit he would bring to the fight and the competitiveness,” Klay Thompson said at the podium, booming his voice in a way he rarely does.

“I know our fans will do that because we deserve it, but more importantly Kevin does for what he gave this team, this organization. There wouldn’t be banners if it wasn’t for his presence. So we expect our crowd to be loud for him.”

Durant rejoined the action in Game 5 after missing nine games with a calf injury but then collapsed to the floor in the second quarter. It was clear immediately that he had suffered something catastrophic.

“For him to get back out there, as crazy as it sounds, I think he played for 11 minutes, I think those 11 minutes were enough to give us the spark that we needed,” Draymond Green said. “So now we want to continue to try to build on that and do everything that we can to finish the series the right way.”

Related Kevin Durant: ‘It’s Going to Be a Journey But I’m Built for This’

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Durant, 30, adds that despite suffering a catastrophic injury, he is “proud” of having suited up in Game 5 of the NBA Finals after sitting out a month with a calf strain.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters Wednesday that KD was “cleared to play by everybody involved.”

Stephen Curry said that he has complete faith in the Dubs’ medical staff.

Per The AP:

Kerr said everyone in the organization is “devastated,” including Dr. Rick Celebrini, the team’s director of medicine and performance. The Warriors made a “collaborative” decision to clear Durant to play — with the input of Durant and his representative — and had no idea that Durant risked a serious Achilles injury by returning from a strained calf, Kerr said.

“Now, would we go back and do it over again? Damn right,” he said. “But that’s easy to say after the results. When we gathered all the information, our feeling was the worst thing that could happen would be a re-injure of the calf. That was the advice and the information that we had. At that point, once Kevin was cleared to play, he was comfortable with that, we were comfortable with that. So the Achilles came as a complete shock. I don’t know what else to add to that, other than had we known that this was a possibility, that this was even in the realm of possibility, there’s no way we ever would have allowed Kevin to come back.”

Kerr said he also understands people wanting to point blame somewhere, though he noted, “Kevin checked all the boxes, and he was cleared to play by everybody involved,” including doctors from within the organization and from the outside.

“I completely understand the world we live in. As Bob [Myers] mentioned the other night, there’s going to be blame. There’s going to be finger-pointing. We understand that and we accept that. This is kind of what you sign up for when you get into coaching, general management, in the NBA,” Kerr said. “There’s all kinds of coverage, judgment, criticism, and it’s all part of it. So we accept that. The main thing is our concern for Kevin and these last couple of days just checking on him. Obviously, everybody feels horrible for what happened.”

Stephen Curry can only imagine how much Durant is hurting emotionally not being able to play — but second-guessing benefits nobody at this stage, the two-time MVP said.

“Everybody has great 20/20 hindsight,” Curry said, then added: “I trust our medical staff and know Bob Myers has our best interests in terms of not just what we can do in this series, but long term in our overall health. You see how hard he took it, talking to you guys after the game. And that’s really genuine and authentic. So you can waste time talking about the what-ifs and this and that. Injuries are tough and they suck. They’re a part of our game, and they’re going to continue to be a part of our game. But everybody putting their collective brains together to make the sound, smart decisions, you kind of just live with that, because that’s what’s a part of our game.”

Related Report: Kevin Durant ‘Not Anywhere Close to 100 Percent’ in Game 5

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As fate would have it, Golden State ended up extending the title round with a thrilling 106-105 win over the Toronto Raptors, after Durant suffered a devasting Achilles injury.

KD reportedly flew to New York for a conclusive MRI, while his Warriors teammates went back to Oakland with their backs still firmly up against the wall.

Per Yahoo Sports:

Family, teammates and confidants routinely checked on Durant during his quest to rejoin his guys on the court. Each time, Durant explained that he was working to speed up the process but was still experiencing discomfort pushing off his right foot, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Sources described Durant as being in agony because he was unable to help his teammates.

Some of Durant’s NBA peers who are interested in his next free-agent destination wondered if he’s happy in the Bay Area and plotted how to pitch their teams to the future Hall of Famer.

“I can’t be recruited,” Durant told Yahoo Sports last week. “Write that.”

Even though he was cleared for Game 5, Durant was not anywhere close to 100 percent, sources said. The individual workout sessions and the light practice session on Sunday could not simulate the rigors of an ultra-competitive championship game.

Related Report: Warriors Fear Kevin Durant Has Torn Achilles

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Golden State lost Kevin Durant to a right Achilles injury after he returned to action with the season on the line, in a thrilling 106-105 win against the Toronto Raptors.

Stephen Curry (31 points) and Klay Thompson (26 points) led the way for the back-to-back defending champs, who lived to fight another day.

Per The San Fran Chronicle:

Stephen Curry, whose 3-pointer in the waning seconds helped seal the 106-105 win, was tearing up in a postgame interview. “I have a lot of emotions right now,” he said, pulling his jersey over his eyes to wipe away tears.

It’s back to Oracle Arena on Thursday for a definitive farewell.

“It’s going to be a rough go, in terms of recalibrating,” Curry said. “The biggest advantage is being at Oracle one more time, where our fans can really get behind us.”

The winning team looked like the losing team. General manager Bob Myers wept at the podium as he described Durant’s injury as an Achilles and said, “blame me.” Curry was still flushed with emotion as he left the building.

“On the one hand, I’m so proud of them,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “But I’m just devastated for Kevin. It’s a bizarre feeling … an incredible win and a horrible loss.”

Related Report: Warriors Fear Kevin Durant Has Torn Achilles

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Durant went down in Golden State’s unbelievable 106-105 win against Toronto in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, and is scheduled for an MRI today to determine the severity of the injury.

President of basketball operations Bob Myers held an emotional press conference, describing what happened and the hurt in the Dubs’ locker room.

DeMarcus Cousins called Raptors fans who cheered when Durant got hurt “trash,” and head coach Steve Kerr said it was “an incredible win and a horrible loss at the same time.”

Per ESPN:

“It’s an Achilles injury,” Myers said after the game, while holding back tears. “I don’t know the extent of it. He’ll have a MRI tomorrow. Prior to coming back he went through four weeks with a medical team, and it was thorough, and it was experts and multiple MRIs and multiple doctors, and we felt good about the process.”

Prior to Monday’s injury, Durant hadn’t played since injuring his right calf on May 8 against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals. He was initially ruled a game-time decision after going through Sunday’s practice and Monday’s shootaround, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before the game that Durant would play without any restrictions. It was a decisions Myers passionately defended after the game.

“He was cleared to play tonight,” Myers said. “That was a collaborative decision. I don’t believe there’s anybody to blame, but I understand in this world and if you have to, you can blame me. I run our basketball operations department. And to tell you something about Kevin Durant: Kevin Durant loves to play basketball, and the people that questioned whether he wanted to get back to this team were wrong.

“He’s one of the most misunderstood people,” Myers said. “He’s a good teammate, he’s a good person, it’s not fair. I’m lucky to know him. I don’t know — I don’t have all the information on what really the extent of what it all means until we get a MRI, but the people that worked with him and cleared him are good people. They’re good people.”

Warriors guard Stephen Curry followed Durant into the locker room as well.

“Sometimes the spirit tells you what to do,” Curry explained. “You don’t really make decisions, you just act on it. I can’t tell you what went through my head. It just felt right.”

Related Kevin Durant Leaves Game 5 With Achilles Injury, Will Have MRI Tuesday

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Here’s a quick rundown of which notable Warriors players could potentially be free agents when the calendar flips to July in a few weeks and what that might entail for the team and the players.

Related: Previewing the Toronto Raptors potential free agents

Jordan Bell, C
Bell hasn’t established himself as the go-to Warriors big man of the future as many may have hoped after a promising rookie campaign but he’s still an intriguing young player with a high ceiling.

Bell will be a restricted free agent this summer, so Golden State will have the opportunity to match any offer he receives on the open market, but that may not be easy given the rest of the free agents that the team will have to make decisions on.

Andrew Bogut, C
The Warriors brought back a familiar face this season when they inked 34-year-old Bogut to fill out their rotation late in the season. Bogut didn’t see much time during the campaign but has been turned to on occasion throughout the playoffs. Any decision regarding Bogut’s future will presumably come once other pieces have fallen into place.

Quinn Cook, PG
The Warriors added Cook in the middle of the 2017-18 campaign and used him as backcourt depth capable of dealing damage on the perimeter not unlike the Splash Brothers ahead of him on the depth chart. Cook has also filled in admirably for Steph Curry over the course of the past two seasons.

The Warriors will be able to extend a relatively cheap qualifying offer to Cook this summer thus putting pressure on other teams to try and poach their restricted free agent with a big offer.

It’s hard to know whether the 26-year-old’s body of work thus far is enough to convince other teams to jump in with a big offer but he’s certainly proved his value to the Warriors and they’d be wise to have him back at a price they can afford.

DeMarcus Cousins, C
Cousins shook the NBA last summer when he announced that he reached out to the Warriors about the possibility of signing with them. Ultimately, due to the Achilles injury that held Cousins out of action until the new year, the Dubs were able to procure the superstar big man’s talents with their taxpayer mid-level exception just north of $5 million.

The mid-level exception allows teams additional space with which to sign free agents, and varies depending on whether a team is below the cap, above the cap or, in Golden State’s case, above the cap and the luxury tax.

Given that the Warriors will not hold Cousins’ Bird rights because he’s only been on their roster for one season, they won’t be able to bring the big man back unless they’re able to sign him using cap space or another exception. Considering that the former won’t be available unless something goes horribly wrong this summer, that leaves the latter.

There’s no guarantee Cousins would return to the Bay Area for another short-term deal considering that he was a max contract candidate in New Orleans prior to his Achilles injury in January 2018 but the quad injury that he suffered in the postseason may have made that more of a reality.

Cousins will have the opportunity to gauge the market this summer and would presumably entertain long-term offers if other teams are willing to extend them. If they don’t, the 28-year-old could return to the Warriors, try his luck at a full, healthy regular season and then cash in next summer.

Kevin Durant, SF
We won’t sit here and try to guess where Durant will end up next season. If you know the answer, hit us up. What we will do is tell you what the superstar will be eligible to earn wherever he chooses to sign a contract this summer.

When Durant turns down his $31.5 million player option for 2019-20, he’ll be eligible to earn a 35% max contract. That’s not because of any designated veteran distinctions (although he’d qualify for those) but rather because of the fact that he’s already logged 10 years of service time.

The Warriors hold Durant’s full Bird rights and as such would be permitted to blow past the salary cap to retain him. They would also be able to offer a fifth season and 8% raises between those seasons. That’s a $220+ million-deal over the course of the next five years, starting at $38 million in 2019-20.

If Durant chooses to sign somewhere other than Golden State, he would still be able to earn a 35% max deal but only for four seasons, with 5% increases between each campaign. For comparison’s sake, that totals around $165 million using a $109 million salary cap projection for next year. (Thanks Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors for the math)

Your guess is as good as anybody’s as to how important that slightly bigger bag will be for Durant this summer but it’s something that the Warriors organization will have to think about given that they’ve already blown past the luxury tax mark in three of the last four seasons.

Jonas Jerebko, PF
Jerebko joined the Warriors as a depth rotation piece on a minimum salary and has done a fine job in the minutes allotted to him. He may be welcomed back on another cheap deal next season or look to parlay his experience on the reigning champions into another deal with a team eager for established veterans.

Kevon Looney, C
Looney has seen his role with the Warriors increase gradually over the course of the past four seasons and will have an opportunity to leverage that – including his production during the 2019 postseason – on the open market this summer.

In most cases, a player in Looney’s situation would be a restricted free agent but the team actually declined his 2018-19 fourth-year option back in the fall of 2017. They ultimately brought the big man back on a one-year deal for this season but that cost them the opportunity to extend a qualifying offer and thus make him restricted.

Looney will have free rein to go out and look for a bigger opportunity but may not find a better situation than what he has with the Warriors. Looney’s fate could be tethered to Cousins’ given the position they share.

Klay Thompson, SG
It’s hard to imagine a Warriors team without the second half of the Splash Brothers but keeping the iconic backcourt together won’t come cheap. Thompson is in the final year of a four-year rookie scale contract extension signed prior to the jump in the salary cap and could now command a substantial raise.

Although Thompson missed out on a shot at a 35% designated veteran extension when it was revealed that he didn’t make an All-NBA team this year, he can still earn a significant 30% max deal with 8% raises over the course of the next five years.

With that math, Thompson could earn just shy of $190 million through the 2023-24 season, including $32 million next year. If Thompson does decide to move on, the most he could earn would be $140 million through 2022-23.

The post Previewing The Golden State Warriors’ Potential Free Agents appeared first on SLAM.

“Whatever’s needed,” Cousins said after scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 28 minutes, helping lead Golden State to a 109-104 Game 2 win against the Toronto Raptors.

Boogie, who ruptured his Achilles in January 2018 and will be a free agent this summer, says he doesn’t take “any of this for granted.”

Per The AP:

“On our defensive end, making his presence felt blocking shots, being in the right place at the right time, it’s a big lift for us,” Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. “I know he’s been waiting a long time to be on this stage. Obviously with his injuries, he’s taken the challenge of inserting himself and making that transition smooth. So it’s been fun to watch. More to come.”

Now recovered from what basically was a hole in his leg, Cousins is more than plugging a hole in the lineup.

“I want to be on this stage,” Cousins said. “This is what I’ve worked for my entire career, to be on this stage, to have this opportunity to play for something. But once they told me I had a chance, a slight chance, of being able to return, it basically was up to me and the work and the time I put in behind the injury. It was up to me. So I put the work in.”

He’s not 100 percent right now. But if the Warriors need him to play as though he is, Cousins said he will.

“I’ve told you all before I don’t take any of this for granted,” Cousins said. “I’ve seen how quick this game can be taken away from you. So every chance I get to go out there and play, I’m going to leave it on the floor.”

Related DeMarcus Cousins: ‘This Was an Incredible Moment for Me’

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Despite leaving the game early in the fourth with an apparent injury, Klay Thompson paced Golden State with 23 points in the “Playoff” colorway of his Anta KT4. DeMarcus Cousins started the game for the Dubs’ and responded with a solid double-double in the Puma Uproar Spectra and Draymond Green fell one assist shy of another triple-double as he rocked a PE edition of his Nike Hyperdunk X.

For the Raps, Kawhi Leonard once again had a big night as he finished the night with 34 points and 14 boards in another black/gold variation of his New Balance OMN1S.

As the NBA Finals rolls along, make sure to get caught up on all the sneaker action in our Game 2 gallery below.

Photos via Getty Images

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“We live for this,” Draymond Green said after the two-time defending champs hung on for a galvanizing 109-104 win against the Toronto Raptors.

The Dubs lost Kevin Looney (sprained collarbone) and Klay Thompson (left hamstring tightness) to injuries, but found contributions from others to earn a hard-fought victory.

Per The Athletic:

“Hell, yeah, we were screaming,” Looney said. “We wanted to be out there so bad. We see plays that could be made. We got a hell of a team back there in the training room.”

Indeed, the Warriors had quite a bit of talent mending in the locker room. That was a lot of offense and three of their best defenders watching the game on television. But the Warriors left Canada with the NBA Finals tied at 1-1 because of what they still had on the court.

“We live for this,” Draymond Green said. “Our backs against the wall. On the road. Klay goes down. Loon goes down. This is what we do.”

This is how they prefer it.

“We’ve been in this situation a bunch of times now,” Draymond Green said. “We’re not laying down. Obviously, we need our guys out there on the floor. But if not, we’ve still got guys who can step up. You’ve got to beat us. That’s the most important thing. Making someone beat us.”

Related Draymond Green: Role ‘Completely Changes’ Without Kevin Durant

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“I’ll be fine,” Thompson said after Golden State survived 109-104 against the Toronto Raptors.

Steve Kerr alluded to Thompson’s remarkable pain-tolerance, but seemed less certain about the All-Star guard’s status going forward.

Per Yahoo Sports and The San Fran Chronicle:

“No, I don’t see myself missing Game 3,” Thompson told Yahoo Sports.

Thompson led the Warriors with 25 points and carried them in the first half as they evened the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors with a 109-104 victory.

“I’ll be fine,” Thompson told Yahoo Sports. “That was a good win for us tonight.”

When finally subbed out with 7:59 remaining, Thompson hobbled to the bench. After a few moments, he limped toward the locker room, where he was evaluated by team trainers.

“Klay said he’ll be fine, but Klay can be half-dead, and he’d say he’s (fine),” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “We’ll see. He pulled his hamstring; he thinks it’s minor — I don’t know what that means going forward.”

Related Klay Thompson: ‘I’d Rather Win a Championship Than Be Third-Team All-NBA’

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Boogie finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocks in 28 minutes, helping the Warriors seal a 109-104 Game 2 win over the Toronto Raptors to even up the NBA Finals at 1-1.

Head coach Steve Kerr said the Dubs “needed everything” Cousins could muster.

Per The San Fran Chronicle:

“He was great,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “We came in thinking, ‘All right, he can maybe play 20 minutes,’ and he gave us almost 28. There was only one time in the game when he needed a rest, which was mid-fourth and we gave him a couple of minutes and then got him back in the game.

“But we needed everything he gave out there, his rebounding, his toughness, his physical presence, getting the ball in the paint, and just playing big, like he does. We needed all of that. … So I thought he was fantastic.”

Stephen Curry called it a “big-time” moment for Cousins, saying, “He was special. He played aggressive, put a lot of pressure on the defense, made his presence felt blocking shots, being at the right place at the right time. I know he’s been waiting a long time to be on this stage. He’s taken the challenge and made the transition smooth. It’s been fun to watch. More to come.”

Cousins found himself nearly overcome with emotion afterward, wiping away a tear as he addressed his good fortune.

“This was an incredible moment for me,” he said. “It’s what I’ve worked for my entire career, the opportunity to play for something. Once they told me there was a slight chance I could return, it was basically up to me. I put in the work and the time, and God is great. I’m able to … be out there playing the game I love.”

Related Stephen Curry: Game 1 Loss to Raptors ‘Not the End of the World’

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After falling behind by as much as 12 points during the second quarter, the Warriors opened the second half on an 18-0 run and held on to the lead for the rest of the game.

Draymond Green scored 17 points with 10 boards and 9 dimes. Klay Thompson dropped a team-high 25 points with 5 dimes, but he left the game early in the fourth quarter with left hamstring tightness.

DeMarcus Cousins, in just his second game back from a torn quadriceps, came up big with an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double. And the ever-clutch Andre Iguodala sunk a three with 5.9 seconds left to seal the victory.

The series heads to Golden State for Game 3 on Wednesday.

The post Post Up: Warriors Rally in Third Quarter of Game 2, Even Series 1-1 appeared first on SLAM.

Curry, however, says the 118-109 loss is “not the end of the world.”

Pascal Siakam led the way for the Raptors with a team-high 32 points and 8 rebounds.

Game 2 is Sunday night, and Klay Thompson said Golden State will “respond like the champions we are.”

Per The AP:

“Their defense was great and it wasn’t our best night,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “But we just got outplayed, so, simple as that. Move on to the next one.”

The Warriors shot 44 percent, turned the ball over 17 times and fell to the Toronto Raptors 118-109 in the series opener. The loss ended a run of 12 straight Game 1 wins for Golden State, going back to the opener of the 2015 Western Conference finals — as well as a run of five consecutive wins in Game 1 of an NBA Finals, going back to 1975.

“The bad is we’re down 0-1,” Curry said. “But it’s not the end of the world. … Our confidence remains the same. Block out all the noise about how it’s our first this and that, kind of the doubt around our team. Come out and play hard, get Game 2 and take it from there. I say it a lot, but I like the vibe we had in the locker room.”

Golden State’s two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP in Kevin Durant isn’t expected back for Game 2, either.

“I know we’ll respond like the champions we are,” Thompson said.

Related Stephen Curry: NBA Finals MVP ‘Secondary’ to Winning

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While the severity of Cousins’ April injury wasn’t known immediately, it was promptly revealed that the center had a partially torn quad. At no point in the process was he required to undergo surgery.

Cousins, less than a season removed from a devastating Achilled injury, suffered the non-contact quad injury chasing down a loose ball against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

While fears that Cousins could be out for yet another substantially period of time reverberated through informal NBA circles, Cousins was never formally ruled out for the postseason. Earlier this Month we wrote about Cousins’ stated desire to return in the playoffs.

Cousins’ arrival comes at an ideal time for the Warriors, as they brace for an NBA Finals matchup with the Eastern Conference champion Toronto Raptors. Cousins will line up across from Marc Gasol in the series.

It’s unclear at this stage if Cousins will start, be on a minute restriction or even see the court in his first taste of action since April.

The post DeMarcus Cousins Available For Game 1 Of Finals appeared first on SLAM.

Green adds that he has to be “more of a scoring threat” for Golden State.

Time and again, Draymond has insisted that the Dubs needs KD (who remains out with a strained right calf) in order to beat the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals.

Per ESPN:

“It completely changes,” Green told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols in an interview that will run Thursday on The Jump. “I have to be more of a scoring threat when Kevin’s not out there. I have to — I really try to push the pace more when he’s not out there. When Kevin’s out there, we all have the luxury of just saying, ‘OK, that set didn’t work, we still got this guy to just throw a ball into it and get out of the way.’ That luxury isn’t there anymore, and also I think with Kevin being out, we’re trying to make up 37 points again.”

Durant’s availability for the Finals remains in question as he continues rehabbing the injury.

“We’re not going to make those 37 points again up just by walking the ball up the floor and thinking we’re going to have the same trust running the set as if Kevin is on the floor,” Green said. “So how do you make up those points? Get extra possessions, get the pace to where you want it to be, get some easy buckets. That’s how you make it up.”

In Durant’s absence, Green is playing arguably the best basketball of his career. In 16 postseason games so far this year, Green is averaging 13.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say more fun, but it’s just like anything in life,” Green said. “If you go into something with a little more uncertainty, when you come out of it, it feels a little better. Because you got over the doubt. Whatever doubt it was that you was facing, you got over that. When Kevin’s with us, I walk into the arena and I know how this game is gonna go. I know we’re gonna win and whatever else you wanna add in to that, I know already. When he’s not, I’m still extremely confident that we’re gonna win, I’m still extremely confident that we’re the best team walking in. But you gotta figure a little more out in order to win as opposed to when he out there. And so I think it gives you a little more joy initially when you finish that game.

“So you may have seen us over the course of the last few weeks celebrate the Houston series in the second round a little bit more than we would normally celebrate a second-round series win. You may have seen us celebrate sweeping Portland a little bit more than we would normally celebrate sweeping someone, because it’s a different feeling. You go into those games, and it’s like, ‘Yeah, we’re very confident that we’re gonna win,’ but it’s not as certain as it is when Kevin is with us.”

Related Kevin Durant: ‘Just Not Facts’ That Golden State is Better Without Him

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“That’s just not facts,” Durant told reporters Friday afternoon.

KD, still nursing a right calf strain, averaged 34.2 points on 51.3% shooting over 11 playoff games for the Warriors, who have five in a row without him.

Per The San Fran Chronicle:

“As a player, I think about that, and I just think, ‘Oh, that’s just not true,’” Durant said after practice Friday. “That’s just not facts when it comes from a basketball perspective.”

With his newfound free time, Durant has taken to responding online when he sees posts suggesting that the Warriors are better without him. His recent feud with Fox Sports 1 analyst Chris Broussard has only fueled the conversation.

“From my perspective, I want to focus on rehab, and I also want to focus on my teammates,” Durant said. “I want to enjoy my teammates from a different view. A lot of those guys sit in the chair and cheer for the rest of the guys, the starting guys, and then I get the opportunity to do the same thing.

“I turn on the TV since I can’t travel with the team, and all you hear is the noise. … The competitive side always wants to talk basketball, as well. So, if you want to say something like that, I’m going to engage in it. It’s all fun, it’s all cool. But I know the real.”

Related Draymond Green: Warriors ‘Need’ Kevin Durant in NBA Finals

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Boogie, who tore his quad 25 minutes in Game 2 of Golden State’s first-round playoff series against the LA Clippers, is now pain-free.

Kevin Durant, meanwhile, is “unlikely” to suit up for the start of the NBA Finals for the two-time defending champs.

Per The Mercury News:

“I feel good. A lot better than I was,” the 28-year-old center said Thursday after his first full practice since the injury. “I’m able to get up and down the court more. I’m able to play a little competition basketball.

“I’m in a lot better place.”

In the big picture, Cousins is simply encouraged that he has a shot at returning to the floor. He said he never doubted he could play again this season, but admits there was a brief sense of panic after the quad injury.

“Once the diagnosis came out and I realized what it was, I had to gather myself after a couple of days of frustration, anger, sadness . . . all of the above, tell myself to get back to work. Just do it all over again.”

Related DeMarcus Cousins Expects To Return This Postseason

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Having KD in the lineup makes Golden State “unbeatable,” says Green, who also hopes for DeMarcus Cousins (torn quad) to get healthy in time to play in the NBA Finals.

Head coach Steve Kerr adds that he is “hopeful” about Durant suiting up in the championship round.

Per ESPN:

“There’s been so much talk about how, ‘Oh, they’re the Warriors. Before Kevin got there they were great.’ Bulls—,” Green told ESPN. “We was damn good. I think we were a very good team who was tough to beat. I think when Kevin came here, he made us unbeatable. When DeMarcus [Cousins] came here, it made people scratch their head even more. And so we need those guys. The next series is going to be tough, and I hope and pray that we can get him back.”

Green was vocal prior to Monday’s Game 4 in Portland that the Warriors were motivated to close out the series because it would allow Durant and Cousins more time to recover.

“Our goal is obviously to get all three of those guys back,” Green said. “We know we’re a good team with who we have, but those guys make us great and almost unbeatable. And we know we need [Durant].”

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr knows Durant still has to overcome some hurdles in his recovery, including being cleared for on-court work again, but Kerr feels good about the possibilities.

“I’m just hopeful that that’s the case more than anything,” Kerr told ESPN of being able to add Durant back into the lineup. “We don’t know how it’s going to end up. I’m really proud of the guys for holding down the fort during this series, and hopefully his rehab continues to progress and we get him back, because we’re going to need him. No doubt.”

Related Steve Kerr: Kevin Durant’s Calf Strain a ‘Little More Serious Than We Thought’

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Cousins partially tore his quad in Game 2 of Golden State’s first-round series. Now, three games into the second-round, he’s been progressing well and dreaming about a “very nice ending” to his latest campaign.

It’s worth noting that even though the forecast after Cousins’ injury looked grim at the time, he was never formally ruled out for the duration of the season.

“There were too many opinions. Everybody thought they knew what was going on. Everybody is a doctor,” Cousins told Spears. “Just sit back and watch. I will do the rest.“

In addition to being a major rotation piece for the title favorite Warriors as they chase another championship, Cousins is a pending unrestricted free agent and would likely boost his stock heading into the offseason if he’s able to prove that he’s healthy.

The post DeMarcus Cousins Expects To Return This Postseason appeared first on SLAM.

“How did we lose that game?” Curry asked, rhetorically, as he sat at his locker.

Steph says “the wheels fell off” for Golden State, but he remains confident they’ll bounce back.

Per The Athletic:

Stephen Curry swiped the cutter down the inside of each ankle, freeing his feet from the bondage of tape. Still in his uniform, two pair of shoes lined neatly in front of him, he took a moment to let the bewilderment wash over him. He smashed the tape into a ball with his hands, then just held it for a second, each of his elbows rested on a knee. He slouched over in the chair at his locker, staring at nothing.

“How did we lose that game?” he asked.

Monday, the regular season apathy leaked into the postseason. The seepage ruined their Game 2, an epic collapse that resulted in a 135-131 loss and the series being tied 1-1 heading to Los Angeles.

“If I had the answer for it, a night like tonight wouldn’t happen,” Curry said. “This game is tough. It’s hard to win playoff games no matter what the matchup is, no matter what the history is, the regular season, team versus team. It’s tough. For six and a half quarters we played amazing. Had a 31-point lead. The wheels fell off. I know we can get it back. We obviously have shown that level of basketball is there for us. We’ve got to put together 48 minutes of it, just a collective energy, positivity around everything we do. Again, locker room was down, as it should be, because every game matters to us. We’ve just got to bounce back.”

Related Stephen Curry: ‘We’ve Felt Worse in the Locker Room Before’

The post Stephen Curry: ‘How Did We Lose That Game?’ appeared first on SLAM.

Cousins doesn’t need surgery, but head coach Steve Kerr says the big fella is probably facing a recovery period of a couple months.

Golden State, however, is “leaving the door open” for Boogie’s return this postseason—however improbable—if the injury heals faster than expected.

Per The San Fran Chronicle:

“DeMarcus most likely will not be back during the playoffs,” Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said after practice Wednesday. “You’re probably looking at a couple months recovery.

“But (director of sports medicine and performance) Rick (Celebrini) told me that there are occasions where that injury heals faster, so we’re leaving the door open, obviously.”

There are currently no plans for Cousins to be around the team, even as just a spectator, during this playoff run. As Cousins begins his recovery, the Warriors want him as comfortable as possible. In the meantime, Andrew Bogut will start at center in Game 3 on Thursday, with Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell coming off the bench.

“In the coming weeks, if he’s cleared and Rick feels good about it, maybe we’ll push him a little harder,” Kerr said of [center Damian] Jones, who averaged 5.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 24 games (22 starts) before his injury. “We hadn’t anticipated him coming back and I still don’t, but we’ll see if that’s changed after DeMarcus’ injury.”

Related MRI Reveals DeMarcus Cousins Has Torn Quad

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The injury will “probably” keep Cousins out for the rest of the postseason, Charania tweets, but he and the team haven’t ruled out a return later in the playoffs if possible. They’ll gauge how he responds to the first two weeks of rehab.

At this stage, the rehabilitation process does not include surgery, although ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets that doctors are still in the process of determining the severity of the tear and thus the overall recovery process.

Cousins initially injured his quad chasing down a loose ball in the first quarter of Golden State’s Game 2 loss to the Clippers Monday night and although the extent of the injury wasn’t yet known at the time, head coach Steve Kerr feared that the setback was “significant”.

The non-contact injury immediately called to mind the Achilles tear that sidelined Cousins for parts of the past two seasons and spoiled a free agency period that could have otherwise seen him land a substantial, long-term contract.

Cousins famously signed with the Warriors using their $5.3 million taxpayer mid-level exception last summer.

After his torn Achilles sidelined him from January, 2018 until January, 2019, Cousins slowly began to play himself back into a rhythm. In 30 minute-capped games with the Warriors this season he averaged 16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

Cousins will once again hit the open market in the summer of 2019.

The post MRI Reveals DeMarcus Cousins Has Torn Quad appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors blew a 31-point lead and fell 135-131, and Curry said “the wheels fell off” for the two-time defending NBA champs.

Even more concerning than the historic loss, was the “significant” quad injury to center DeMarcus Cousins, which reportedly may keep him out for the remainder of the postseason.

Per The AP:

Curry scored 29 points and put the Warriors up 131-128 with 58 seconds left before [Landry] Shamet’s dagger on a night the two-time defending NBA champions lost DeMarcus Cousins to a leg injury in the first quarter.

“We changed a couple things offensively and defensively in the third on the fly. It worked out for us. But I thought it was our spirit more than anything,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “Just every single guy. I loved the end of the game.”

The Warriors committed 21 turnovers in Game 1, then 22 more Monday — nine by [Kevin] Durant.

“We let our guard down. We weren’t the aggressors anymore. We didn’t deserve to win that game,” Thompson said.

Related Doc Rivers: Clippers ‘Didn’t Come Here to Win One Game’

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Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called it a “a pretty significant quad injury” following a historic 135-131 loss to the LA Clippers in Game 2.

An MRI exam Tuesday will determine Boogie’s fate.

Per ESPN:

The best-case scenario could be a strained quad, but there was evidence that Cousins’ noncontact injury, which occurred while he was pursuing a loose ball in Monday’s 135-131 Game 2 loss to the LA Clippers, was serious and season-ending, league sources said.

“There’s a pretty significant quad injury,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game. “We’ll get an MRI [on Tuesday], but he’s going to be out for — I’ll just say a while because I think it’s unclear right now how long he’ll be out. It’s significant.”

Cousins’ injury left the Warriors’ locker room stunned. After all the hard work the former All-Star put into getting back on the floor, his teammates couldn’t believe he faced the possibility of being done for the postseason.

“It’s tough, for sure,” Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. “You feel for him considering what he’s been through this last year. This is a big stage, the playoffs. He’s been looking forward to this. I don’t know the extent of the injury at this point. Hope he gets back sooner than later. Just man-to-man in terms of him, what he’s been through, it’s tough for sure. There’s no sugarcoating it at all. You hate seeing that opportunity again on this big stage taken away from him like that.”

Related DeMarcus Cousins: ‘I Never Thought This Situation Would Happen’

The post Report: Warriors Fear DeMarcus Cousins Tore His Left Quad appeared first on SLAM.

“It’s just like, Jesus Christ! It’s so much extra put on with ‘Boogie.’ I don’t want to be Boogie, I just wanna be DeMarcus,” Cousins told The Undefeated’s Lonnae O’Neal.

In the piece, Cousins clarified that he’s not thinking about his looming unrestricted free agency this summer, or his first potential championship. For now, he’s simply reflecting on how far he’s made it in his career.

“I want my family and myself to be comfortable wherever I am at the time, and just be able to relax and kind of let my hair down. I’m going to be judged. My life is in a fishbowl. They gonna love you and they gonna hate you. I’m being the best me every day.”

Amen to that Boog-… I mean, DeMarcus.

RELATED: DeMarcus Cousins: ‘I Never Thought This Situation Would Happen’

The post DeMarcus Cousins: ‘I Don’t Want To Be Boogie’ appeared first on SLAM.

Boogie just can’t believe it’s happening with the defending two-time NBA champs.

Cousins, 28, says he’s ready to fight for the Golden State Warriors in their quest for a three-peat.

Per The AP:

“I never thought this situation would happen, but it’s happened,” Cousins said. “This is my team, and anybody that’s followed me before this moment, you know how I fight for my team. It’s the same thing. Step on them, you’re stepping on me.”

Cousins patiently worked back from a nearly yearlong absence after getting hurt in January 2018 with New Orleans, calling it one of the hardest things he has gone through emotionally and physically in his career. He made his Warriors debut Jan. 18 on the road against the Clippers, showing quickly he would make a big impact on both ends of the floor.

The four-time All-Star center’s shooting stroke returned in a hurry. For him, finally getting back was largely conditioning and gaining strength in the leg to handle the rigors, pace and low-post pounding of an NBA game again.

“What does he call it, the Resurgence?” Stephen Curry said. “We like his fire. In terms of the playoffs, it’s going to be amazing, it’s his first run, it’s going to be good.”

Related DeMarcus Cousins: ‘I Believe the Respect of the Big Man is Coming Back Around’

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The occasion was the final regular season game at Oracle Arena.

Stephen Curry led the way with 27 points in a 131-104 win against the LA Clippers, which clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, and head coach Steve Kerr alluded to a possible final celebration for the Oakland faithful in June.

Per The AP:

“Hopefully we’ll have another send-off in a grander manner,” Kerr said.

A banner commemorating 47 years at Oracle was unveiled afterward and it will move across the bay to hang inside new Chase Center in San Francisco where the Warriors will play next season.

“These jerseys hold a special place in Warriors’ fans hearts and this organization and the history of this organization,” Draymond Green said.

The Warriors played their 1,936th regular-season game at Oracle, where the first game was held on Oct. 24, 1967, against Cincinnati. Golden State’s overall record in the venue: 1,166-770.

“Let me just say that for 47 years, Warriors fans have stuck with us through thick and thin,” Kerr told the crowd moments after the final buzzer, also thanking arena staff. “Let’s be honest, most of those years have been a little thin.”

Related Heart of The Town: Stephen Curry Is Chasing One More Ring for Oakland

The post Warriors Rock ‘We Believe’ Jerseys in Oracle Arena Regular Season Finale appeared first on SLAM.

Cousins, 28, now feels that “the respect of the big man is coming back around.”

The Golden State Warriors certainly feel that Boogie gives them an edge at his position heading into the postseason.

Per The Athletic:

“I was very pissed,” Cousins told The Athletic. “I found it disrespectful. It was kind of at a time when I was really coming into my own, so it made it that much more challenging for me to become an All-Star.”

Cousins eventually nudged his way onto the 2015 All-Star team. He made it again in 2016, 2017 and 2018. His stats became so monstrous they couldn’t be ignored. He’d occupy one of the “frontcourt” spots.

“But it’s a new age now,” a confident Cousins said. “And I believe the respect of the big man is coming back around.”

A ton of the younger bigs are playmakers. They handle up top. The offense flows through them. Jokic is averaging 7.4 assists this season. Cousins averaged 5.4 last season. At the start of this decade, [Al] Horford led all centers at 3.5 assists per game.

“The (center) skill level has increased a lot since five years ago,” Cousins said. “The game has obviously evolved from not just being under-the-basket players, but spreading out. There’s an evolution to the title ‘big man.’ It evolved quickly.

“It’s crazy how talented these guys are coming in now. There was a time where young bigs would come in and they’d have the title of, like: ‘Raw.’ That’s a rarity now. You got guys like Deandre Ayton, comes in and he’s producing right away at a high level. List goes on. Karl-Anthony Towns comes in and was ready. Right away.”

Related DeMarcus Cousins: Pairing With Anthony Davis ‘Could’ve Been Something Great’

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The incident is said to have taken place in late January.

Cousins said “there are ignorant individuals in every city.”

Per Yahoo Sports:

“Oh, I’ve been called n—–,” Cousins said. “And it’s crazy because this has happened to me on a few occasions. I reported it to the league, and, you know, I may have said whatever I said back and I was still punished for it.”

Cousins declined to detail where he heard the slurs, but sources told Yahoo Sports that one of the incidents occurred during a road game against the Sacramento Kings, where Cousins used to play. Yahoo Sports learned on Thursday that another incident occurred during the Warriors’ Jan. 26 road game against the Boston Celtics.

Sources told Yahoo Sports that a fan muttered the n-word at Cousins, prompting Cousins to inform TD Garden Arena security.

The fan involved in the incident was banned for the remainder of this season and all of next.

Related DeMarcus Cousins Reveals He’s Been Called Racial Slurs By Fans

The post Report: Celtics Fan Banned for Calling DeMarcus Cousins the N-Word appeared first on SLAM.

Per Yahoo:

When asked which cities he heard racial slurs, the nine-year veteran and four-time All-Star declined to answer. However, league sources told Yahoo Sports one of the incidents occurred in Sacramento.

“I don’t really want to [name cities or teams], because I’m not really trying to put a label on an entire fan base,” Cousins told Yahoo Sports. “There are ignorant individuals in every city. I’ll just put it like that. … [The league] tells you to ignore it, or whatever the case may be, but how many times am I supposed to ignore that. Me coming from where I come from [Mobile, Alabama], they lucky all they got was a response.”

This comes two weeks after a fan incident between Russell Westbrook and a fan in Utah, where the fan made a racial comment and was permanently banned by the Jazz.

RELATED Jazz Permanently Ban Fan After ‘Inappropriate Interaction’ with Russell Westbrook.

The post DeMarcus Cousins Reveals He’s Been Called Racial Slurs By Fans appeared first on SLAM.

The Hornets stayed in striking distance of the 8-seed — they trail the Heat by three games — by beating the Timberwolves on the back of Kemba Walker’s 31 points.

Nuggets 113 (48-22), Wizards 108 (30-43)

Eight different Nuggets scored at least 10 points (but no more than 15) as Denver took care of business in the nation’s capital. Denver’s four bench players — Torrey Craig (+19 plus-minus), Monte Morris (+15), Malik Beasley (+21) and Mason Plumlee (+15) — provided the surge it needed.

Jazz 114 (42-30), Hawks 117 (25-48)

Donovan Mitchell went off for 34 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Hawks after the Jazz fell into a double-digit hole at halftime.

Trae Young led the Hawks in points (23) and dimes (11).

Pistons 118 (37-34), Suns 98 (17-56)

Andre Drummond dominated the boards and defensive end of the floor as he racked up 19 rebounds, three steals and a block in 32 minutes.

Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton combined for 46 points to lead Phoenix.

Mavericks 100 (28-44), Kings 116 (35-36)

Buddy Hield scored 29 and Marvin Bagley III dropped 22 points off the pine — the Kings trail the Thunder, Spurs, Jazz and Clippers for a playoff spot by 6.5 games with 11 games to go.

Luka Doncic had 13 points, 10 rebounds and three dimes for Dallas.

Pacers 89 (44-29), Warriors 112 (49-22)

DeMarcus Cousins led the warriors with 19 points — his 11th straight game scoring double-digit points — and 11 rebounds as Golden State blew out Indiana due to a strong defensive effort. The Pacers were only able to muster up 62 points through the game’s first three quarters and shot 38.5 percent from the field.

The win was Golden State’s second in a row, just the second time its accomplished that since the All-Star break.

The post Post Up: DeMarcus Cousins Leads Warriors in Blowout Win appeared first on SLAM.

Led by DeMarcus Cousins‘ season-high 27 points, the Golden State Warriors (minus Kevin Durant) left Houston with a 106-104 “statement” win.

Boogie dismissed the never-ending drama surrounding his new team, comparing it to a soap opera his grandmother enjoyed watching on TV.

Per The AP:

“I’m sure y’all have heard of it — “As the World Turns.” She called it her stories. I used to watch it with her and every episode it was something,” he said. “That’s what this has turned into — “As the World Turns.”″

So does Cousins, who scored a season-high 27 points to help end Houston’s nine-game winning streak with a 106-104 win, want to star in the basketball version of the show?

“No I don’t,” he said. “I play basketball. I don’t look for the drama or stories or anything like that. I just want to go play basketball.”

He added eight rebounds and a season-best seven assists as Houston searched, without success, for ways to stop him. There were times the Rockets switched on defense and left much smaller players attempting to guard the 6-foot-11, 270-pound player. But big or small, Cousins didn’t care who’s was on him.

“I don’t think anybody can stop me one-on-one period,” he said. “So you can put whoever you want on me honestly.”

Related ‘Right Move for Me’: Draymond Green Signs With Klutch Sports

The post ‘Not Sure Stupidity Juices Anyone’: Draymond Green Dismisses Rockets’ Chatter appeared first on SLAM.

Oklahoma City closed with an exclamation point against Brooklyn, outscoring the Nets 66-44 in the second half to secure the win. Russell Westbrook registered his 26th triple-double of the season with 31 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.

Warriors 106 (46-21), Rockets 104 (42-26)

Golden State held off Houston in the closing moments to secure the road win. DeMarcus Cousins stepped up with Kevin Durant out, putting in 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Klay Thompson led the team in scoring with 30 points.

Magic 90 (31-38), Wizards 100 (29-39)

Washington enjoyed a triple threat of scoring from Bradley Beal (23 points), Thomas Bryant (21 points) and Jabari Parker (19 points) in their home win. Nikola Vucevic put in 20 points for the Magic.

Pistons 74 (34-33), Heat 108 (32-35)

Miami controlled this game from start to finish, never letting up the lead at any point. Detroit scored 18 points or fewer in three of the four quarters. Justise Winslow led the Heat in scoring with 16 points.

Grizzlies 111 (28-41), Hawks 132 (24-45)

Six Hawks hit double-digit scoring as Atlanta overwhelmed Memphis’ defense in the win. The young duo of John Collins (27 points, 12 rebounds) and Trae Young (22 points, eight assists) led the way for their team.

Jazz 114 (38-29), Suns 97 (16-53)

Donovan Mitchell led his team with 26 points as the Jazz coasted to a road win over the Suns. Devin Booker scored 27 points for Phoenix.

RELATED: Russell Westbrook: ‘I Would Boo Me Too if I Was the Other Team’

The post Post Up: Russell Westbrook Posts 26th Triple-Double of Season vs. Nets appeared first on SLAM.

“Our defense has been horseshit no matter who’s in there,” says Green.

Golden State has a 109.5 defensive rating this season—good for 16th in the NBA—and is nearly identical with Boogie on (108.6) or off (108.9) the floor.

Per The Athletic:

“So many people are kind of looking at the starting lineup and saying, ‘Oh, DeMarcus is in there and the defense is worse,’” Green said. “But our defense has been horseshit no matter who’s in there.”

Cousins’ lack of mobility and experience in the Warriors’ established system has presented issues. They’re trying to adjust and tweak and cover up some holes. But, as Draymond sees it, they can’t start to discover and solve the defensive concerns until they actually play interested defense behind Cousins.

“It’s easy to look at the numbers and think the numbers tell the story,” Green said. “But we haven’t been competing. It starts with competing at the level we need to compete. Then we can kind of get a better read on what’s working and what isn’t. But right now, we can’t get a read.”

Remember, if he wins Defensive Player of the Year this season, Draymond qualifies for a designated player extension, which significantly bumps his earning power and negotiating leverage on his next contract.

“With the way our defense has been playing as a team, it’s impossible (to get it),” Draymond said. “That falls on me as the leader of that side of the ball. It falls on me to get guys to lock in on that side of the ball. We’re clearly not locked in. Sometimes in life you gotta make people do what they necessarily don’t want to do. Defense is usually one of those things. No one really wants to play defense. I have to focus on that.”

Related Kevin Durant Disagrees With Steve Kerr That Warriors Lack ‘Anger’

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DeMarcus Cousins scored a season-high 24 points on 9-for-15 shooting and added 11 boards and three blocks as Golden State took care of business in Queen City.

Cody Zeller led all players with 28 points on 13-for-14 shooting from the field.

Trail Blazers 123 (37-23), Cavaliers 110 (14-47)

The Trail Blazers scored 71 first half points in a game that was never really close as CJ McCollum scored 35 points on a scorching 7-for-8 shooting night from deep.

Cedi Osman was a bright spot for the Cavs, scoring a team-high 27.

Pacers 109 (40-21), Pistons 113 (29-30)

Blake Griffin’s triple-double (20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) led the way as the Pistons won their third game in a row. Andre Drummond had game-highs in points (26), rebounds (16) and blocks (3).

Suns 124 (12-50), Heat 121 (26-33)

The Suns snapped a 17-game losing streak as seven players chipped in double-digit points in South Beach — Devin Booker’s 20 led the way. The Suns outscored the Heat 72-58 in the second half to complete the comeback victory.

Hassan Whiteside had 29 points and 11 boards for Miami.

Bucks 117 (46-14), Bulls 106 (16-45)

Lauri Markkanen and Robin Lopez each scored 26 for Chicago to lead all scorers, but the Bucks’ collective effort without Giannis Antetokounmpo was too much to defeat.

Malcolm Brogdon scored 22 points and had a +25 plus-minus in 25 minutes of work for Milwaukee.

Hawks 111 (20-41), Rockets 119 (35-25)

The cellar-dwelling Hawks threw everything they had at the Rockets after falling behind early Trae Young scored a career-high 36 on 8-for-12 shooting from deep and dropped eight dimes.

James Harden’s streak of 32 straight games with at least 30 points came to an end as he scored 28 points on 7-for-21 shooting from the field. Chris Paul scored 20 for Houston.

Mavericks 112 (26-34), Clippers 121 (34-28)

Luka Doncic had 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 dimes as the Mavericks fell short in Los Angeles. Montrezl Harrell (32 points, 14-for-17 shooting) and Lou Williams (21 points, 10 assists) led the way off the pine for the Clippers.

76ers 111 (39-22), Pelicans 110 (27-35)

Tobias Harris continued to shine for his new squad, clocking out with 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting with 10 rebounds. Anthony Davis scored 18 points and three blocks in 21 minutes.

Lakers 105 (29-31), Grizzlies 110 (24-38)

The Lakers fell to 2-6 in the month of February as Mike Conley’s 30-piece led a shorthanded Grizzlies squad to a win at the FedEx Forum. Newly acquired Jonas Valanciunas added 20 points, 13 boards and two blocks in 25 minutes of work for Memphis.

LeBron James had 24 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and three steals. Kyle Kuzma (22 points, 9-for-15 shooting) and Brandon Ingram (32 points, 12-for-18 shooting) turned in strong offensive performances for Los Angeles.

Kings 105 (31-29), Timberwolves 112 (29-31)

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 34 points and grabbed 21 boards in his first game since a car accident forced him to miss two games of action. Derrick Rose scored 20 points off the pine as the Timberwolves made the race for the 8-seed in the Western Conference a bit more interesting.

Spurs 85 (33-29), Nets 101 (32-30)

DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge combined to score 49 points on 21-for-35 shooting, but it wasn’t enough as the rest of the Spurs shot just 34.4 percent from the field and just 4-for-23 from deep.

D’Angelo Russell scored a team-high 23 points and dropped eight dimes for Brooklyn while his All-Star Weekend companion Joe Harris scored 15 on 5-for-6 shooting from 3.

The post Post Up: Trae Young Drops 36, Boogie Cousins Scores Season-High appeared first on SLAM.

Needless to say, CP3 does not agree with Iggy that the Warriors would have swept Houston had the veteran forward been healthy.

Dubs head coach Steve Kerr added that opponents are starting to catch up to the two-time defending NBA champs.

Per Yahoo! Sports:

On Saturday at Oracle Arena, Paul delivered the Warriors a troubling reminder that he’s still very problematic, with 23 points, five rebounds, a game-high 17 assists and two steals to lead the Harden-less Rockets to a 118-112 victory.

“What did [Andre Iguodala] say about the series last year? If he would have played, they would have swept us? Then he must be the X-factor,” the 33-year-old Paul told Yahoo Sports in a slight verbal jab at Iguodala, who missed the final four games of last year’s West finals with a leg contusion. “That’s the punchline you needed, right?”

Paul may not be the speedster he once was, but he’s still plenty effective.

“I know what I’m capable of,” Paul told Yahoo Sports. “I’m not worried about what nobody else is talking about. … I’ll find a way [to be successful].”

Related Chris Paul Took Loss to Warriors ‘the Hardest’

The post Chris Paul Recalls Andre Iguodala’s Playoff Trash Talk appeared first on SLAM.

This comes a day after Zion Williamson blew out his sneaker in yesterday’s rivalry matchup between North Carolina 30 seconds into the game.

After the incident, which Williamson suffered a knee injury and didn’t return, had many questioning why the potential No. 1 pick will even play another minute of college basketball.

Isaiah Thomas chimed on Twitter advocating for highly-touted prospects to go straight to the NBA from high school.

SLAM Fam, y’all think Williamson should sit out for the season?

RELATED Zion Williamson Leaves Game vs. UNC with ‘Mild Knee Sprain’

The post DeMarcus Cousins: ‘Knowing What I Know Now, College Basketball is Bullshit’ appeared first on SLAM.

“We can do whatever we want (financially),” Lacob says.

Post-Super Bowl reading: Luxury-tax bills? Joe Lacob says the Warriors are prepared to pay whatever it takes. https://t.co/RTixS1c3R7

— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) February 4, 2019

Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson will both become unrestricted free agents July 1, with Draymond Green set to hit the market in 2020.

Golden State would need to fork over something in the neighborhood of $300 million a year in salary and luxury tax costs in order to keep the current group together for another three-to-four seasons.

Per The Athletic:

“We can do whatever we want (financially),” Lacob said. “And you should expect that that’s not going to be a reason this team … doesn’t stay great going forward. We have the capital to pay our players what they deserve. And we will.

“That’s not really the issue. The issue is more about people have to want to play here and it’s on us to make it a great environment.”

Are the Warriors concentrating on those looming challenges beyond this season — specifically the teams that seem to be targeting Durant and Thompson?

“I mean, theoretically yes, but I’m not really worried about it,” Lacob said. “All we can do is be the best organization we can, treat players the best we can, provide the best environment, have the best management, have a great arena. I mean, all the things we do. The culture of the organization, I think, speaks for itself. Then the chips fall where they may.

“I think we’ll continue to have a good team if not a great team and try to hopefully be a title-contending team for as long as we can. We’ll be aggressive. Nobody’s going to outspend us. Nobody’s going to outwork us.

“I can’t control what a free agent might do. Logically, I know what they should do, which is stay with us, but I can’t say what they’re going to do, so they’ll do what they’re going to do. And we’ll have contingency plans; if somebody leaves, we’ll do what we’ve gotta do.”

Related
Warriors Owner ‘Not Too Worried’ About Kevin Durant’s Future

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L.A. rallied all the way back from a 23-point third-quarter deficit to take the lead with 6:18 in the fourth.

Lou Williams scored 26 of his game-high 39 points in second half and finished with a +19 plus/minus.

Bulls 118 (12-41), Hornets 125 (26-26)

After winning their second game in a row, Charlotte is now back where they’ve been most of the season: at .500.

SLAM 220 cover subject Kemba Walker dropped a game-high 37 points with 10 assists and 6 boards.

Nets 89 (28-26), Magic 102 (22-31)

Orlando outscored the Nets by 17 points in the second half to pull away with the dub.

Nikola Vucevic scored a game-high 24 points with 12 boards, 4 assists, 3 blocks and had a +20 plus/minus.

Bucks 131 (38-13), Wizards 115 (22-30)

Milwaukee ripped open a 21-point halftime lead and never looked back.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with a game-high 37 points with 10 boards and a +22 plus/minus.

Mavs 111 (24-28), Cavs 98 (11-42)

Dallas outscored the Cavs by eight in the fourth quarter to close out the game.

Luka Doncic finished with a game-high 35 points with 11 boards and 6 dimes.

Pacers 95 (33-19), Heat 88 (24-27)

Indiana rallied in the second half to snap a four-game losing streak without Victor Oladipo.

Bojan Bogdanovic finished with a game-high 31 points.

Pelicans 108 (23-30), Spurs 113 (32-22)

San Antonio had a 22-point lead with 5:55 remaining and nearly blew all of it by the final minute.

Luckily for the Spurs, Tim Frazier missed a three that would have tied the game with just seconds remaining.

LaMarcus Aldridge finished with a game-high 25 points with 14 boards and a +18 plus/minus.

San Antonio has now won five straight.

It's gotta be Manu under that mask… (via @spurs) pic.twitter.com/oRbOOLfG9Q

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 3, 2019

Lakers 101 (27-26), Warriors 115 (37-15)

Los Angeles took a one-point lead with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and then the Golden State onslaught began.

Over the next eight minutes of game clock, the Warriors opened up an 18-point lead to close out the game.

Earlier in the third quarter, Boogie Cousins (18 points, 10 boards, 4 assists) swung the momentum in the Warriors’ favor after throwing down a Dunk of the Year candidate (his achilles is looking just fine).

Kevin Durant added 21 points, 11 dimes, 5 boards and had a +21 plus/minus.

That was FILTHY, Boogie (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/fTpPSNnTH9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 3, 2019

Nuggets 107 (37-15), Wolves 106 (25-27)

After nine lead changes and 11 ties, Denver was able to gut out the win in Minnesota.

The All-Star big man matchup between Nikola Jokic and Karl-Anthony Towns stole the show. While KAT scored a game-high 31 points, Jokic triple-doubled (13 points, 16 boards, 10 dimes) and threw a full-court dime to Malik Beasley for the game-winning layup.

Denver has won six in a row.

Hawks 118 (17-35), Suns 112 (11-43)

Trae Young dropped 17 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter as Atlanta rallied late in the game.

John Collins tied a career-high with 35 points while adding 16 boards and had a +15 plus/minus.

Phoenix lost their 10th in a row.

Rockets 125 (30-22), Jazz 98 (30-24)

Houston built a 13-point lead heading into halftime and never looked back. By the end of the fourth, the Rockets’ lead had ballooned to 29.

James Harden had one of his most complete games of the season, finishing with game-high 43 points (on 22 shots), 12 boards, 5 assists, 6 steals, 4 blocks and had a +31 plus/minus. Sheesh!

Sixers 108 (34-19), Kings 115 (27-25)

Sacramento had a 13-point lead in the third, only to see the game tied by 7:54 in the fourth.

Luckily for the Kings, Buddy Hield was red hot. He scored a game-high 34 points with 7 treys and hit a number of super-clutch buckets.

The post Post Up: DeMarcus Cousins Sparks Warriors to Win Over Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

Golden State won its 11th consecutive game Monday night, blasting the short-handed Indiana Pacers 132-100 on their home floor.

That’s 11 straight for the Warriors. And 5-0 on a cross-country road trip. As Steph Curry and his teammates creep closer to the playoffs they do so knowing that their best is yet to come. https://t.co/IllE6IgpGE

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) January 29, 2019

The Dubs are playing their best basketball of the season, having just polished off a 5-0 road trip.

Per ESPN:

“Coach hit us with what game this is — I think it’s 50,” Warriors superstar Stephen Curry said. “And you think about how quickly that springs on you. You get back from All-Star break, you still have 30 games and you’re like, ‘All right, this is playoff mentality time,’ and you start to ramp it up, so we’re starting early.”

The Warriors have won 10 straight road games and have scored 110 points or more in each contest.

“Unbelievable trip,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Just a really good way to finish it, too, with everybody playing, everybody contributing, leading from start to finish. I was a little worried about this game. Everybody’s anxious to get home. But we finished off the trip the right way, and it was great to see … we’re in a good groove. We’re in a good place, but we got to keep going.”

[DeMarcus] Cousins, who returned to the floor Jan. 18 after missing almost a year because of a left Achilles injury, had 22 points in Monday’s win and is averaging 15.2 points and 7 rebounds a game in his first five games of the season. He has been a welcome addition for the talent-filled Warriors roster.

“Every game, he’s looking a little bit more athletic, more confident,” Curry said of Cousins. “Got a little bit more of a rhythm. Understanding where he’s going to get his touches. Just the way he runs in transition defensively, the effort he’s bringing on that end of the floor, as well.”

The post Stephen Curry: ‘Playoff Mentality Time’ for the Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

Boogie says they “could’ve been something great” in New Orleans.

DeMarcus Cousins watched highlights of himself on the darkest days of his Achilles rehab. He still thinks about his partnership with Anthony Davis. Inside Boogie’s rehab, mind, big-picture vision, and his truths on free agency. https://t.co/XRtSw40zqa

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 22, 2019

Cousins has bounced back from a torn Achilles tendon after sitting out for nearly a year, and is looking to make his mark in the postseason with the Golden State Warriors.

Per The Athletic:

“I think about our pairing all the time,” Cousins said. “Me and AD talk about it. It’s fucked up. It could’ve been something great, something special, but other people had different things in mind. That’s out of our control, and you never know what’ll happen later on down the line.”

Everyone had questioned what led Cousins to Golden State last July, and as Cousins describes it, the perfect storm occurred to make it happen.

“The people I reached out to … man, the teams I was talking to, and how they slammed the phone in my face,” Cousins says. “They all slammed the door shut on me. I wish I could share those conversations. But it’s done with. I reached out to teams with the same offer as Golden State, just to see.

“The Warriors are the most hated team in basketball, period. You see that, and then you add another All-Star guy? They’re reading on the surface and they’re pissed. They’re mad, they’re angry. I understand it. I really do. Like, ‘Damn, they got [Kevin Durant], Steph [Curry], Klay [Thompson], [Draymond Green] already.’ But they don’t know the circumstances. I have thick skin.

“I’m unbothered. I’m worried about my health. I’m worried about my long-term career. I’m worried about happiness.”

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The post DeMarcus Cousins: Pairing With Anthony Davis ‘Could’ve Been Something Great’ appeared first on SLAM.

Over a bottle of wine, the two All-Stars made amends, and Golden State’s early-season struggles appear to be in the rearview mirror.

The NBA world watched them fight. This is the story about how Kevin Durant and Draymond Green were big enough to work towards reconciliationhttps://t.co/E4TvEzvyg8 pic.twitter.com/edGlgUEVZr

— Marcus Thompson (@ThompsonScribe) January 21, 2019

Green reportedly accepted Durant’s challenge to keep his emotions in check.

Per The Athletic:

“Just kind of frustrated and hopeless,” Green said of his low point this season. “Those moments, they happen. Just staying the course, having people in your corner that a) is supportive and b) not afraid to tell you that your shit stink. I think that’s important. You see so many times people like ‘yes’ men being around them. They go home and whoever lives in their house is like, ‘Oh yeah. You’re right.’ My girl isn’t like that. She’ll tell me my shit stink. My family isn’t like that. They’ll tell me. My friends will tell me.”

Durant told Green he wasn’t accepting the emotional excuse. Green’s fire is what makes him great even if it also makes him volatile. But Durant wasn’t buying that it’s uncontrollable. He’s seen Green control it. He’s seen him keep his composure in the crucible of championship stakes. He’s seen him locked in and focused, forcing his emotions to submit to his will. So Durant challenged him to be better. Green accepted.

“It’s very rare,” Green said of what he and Durant have. “Obviously, we had a good relationship and then to go through something like we went through and still come out of that with a great relationship, that’s special. Those are the relationships you have for life. My deepest relationships that I have is, like, with people that I went through shit with. It could’ve been a bad argument. It could’ve been ready to go to blows. Those are my best relationships because you go through something and then you come out on the other side and y’all are tighter and better for it. Those are the special relationships.”

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Draymond Green: ‘No One Wants to See Us Win Again’

The post Report: Kevin Durant Challenged Draymond Green to Control His Emotions appeared first on SLAM.

Haters would love nothing more than for Golden State’s core to break up, according to Green.

Draymond Green spent his suspension relaxing with family + wine. But Tom Izzo knew ‘that's eaten at him a little bit…he was a little lost there…He said it was going to be OK, but I could tell that was a phony answer.’ Izzo made sure Green bounced back https://t.co/QpOmaWUk3F

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) January 21, 2019

Draymond is secure in his belief that the Dubs, as presently constructed, are unbeatable.

Per ESPN:

“I think we were more vulnerable last season, in the regular season,” Green says of the Warriors’ 58-24 regular-season record in 2017-18, their worst record since [Steve] Kerr took over in 2014. “They said that going into the playoffs last year. We beat everybody’s asses.”

Of course, if the Warriors don’t three-peat, or even if they do and then [Kevin] Durant leaves in free agency, there will be detractors who probably will point back to the night at Staples Center when Green and Durant were shouting at each other.

“I just really didn’t give a damn [about what people outside the Warriors think],” Green said of those wanting to divide Green, Durant and the Warriors. “Because I know at the end of the day, no one wants to see us win again.

“They would love for us to break up, for it to be broken up by that. Because they can’t, f— … can’t nobody f—ing’ beat us. So, I just look at it and laugh.”

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DeMarcus Cousins: ‘We’re the Most Hated Team in Sports’

The post Draymond Green: ‘No One Wants to See Us Win Again’ appeared first on SLAM.

Making his debut with the Warriors on Friday, DeMarcus Cousins dropped 14 points and 6 rebounds in just 15 minutes of action.

Golden State secured the 112-94 win over the Clippers in LA. Check out Cousins’ highlights below.

After the game, Boogie told reporters that he “felt like a kid on Christmas.”

“This was probably one of the best days of my life just being back on the floor playing the game that I love.”

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The post ‘I Felt Like a Kid on Christmas’: DeMarcus Drops 14 Points in Warriors Debut 🎥 appeared first on SLAM.

DeMarcus Cousins made his return to the court after an Achilles tear in a promising debut for the Warriors. Cousins scored 14 points (3-of-4 on threes) in 15 minutes before fouling out, including a thunderous dunk to start off the game. Steph Curry also scored 28 points in the comfortable win.

YEAH, WELCOME BACK BOOGIE (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/Q7bVS3EZc6

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 19, 2019

Grizzlies 116 (19-26), Celtics 122 (27-18)

Kyrie Irving put the team on his back by dropping 38 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in a close home win. Mike Conley scored 26 points for the Grizzlies.

Kyrie coooooookin' (via @celtics) https://t.co/k8cUwpt3pO

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 19, 2019

Heat 93 (21-22), Pistons 98 (20-24)

Dwyane Wade did all he could with 20 points and eight assists, but Blake Griffin’s 32 points helped Detroit pull out the win. Griffin added 11 rebounds and nine assists, while Luke Kennard added 22 points.

FLASH FOREVER (via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/2HnnwRvaKq

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 19, 2019

Nets 117 (24-23), Magic 115 (19-26)

D’Angelo Russell had to remind everybody that he still has ice in his veins. Russell pulled up for the game-clinching 3-pointer in Orlando to give his team the win. He finished with 40 points.

ICE. IN. HIS. VEINS. DLO won it for Brooklyn on a clutch 3 (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/F0SKXJemOi

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 19, 2019

Spurs 116 (27-20), Timberwolves 113 (21-24)

San Antonio was led by the duo of LaMarcus Aldridge (29 points, nine rebounds) and Rudy Gay (22 points, five assists) in the win. Derrick Rose and Karl-Anthony Towns each scored 23 points for the Wolves.

Cavaliers 99 (9-37), Jazz 115 (26-21)

Donovan Mitchell put on a show with 24 points in just 26 minutes. Rudy Gobert added 19 points, 15 rebounds and five assists, also in 26 minutes.

Pelicans 112 (21-25), Blazers 128 (28-19)

The Blazers were led by the scoring trio of Damian Lillard (24 points), CJ McCollum (20 points) and Jake Layman (20 points) in the win over New Orleans. Anthony Davis scored 27 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Pelicans.

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DeMarcus Cousins: ‘We’re the Most Hated Team in Sports’

The post Post Up: DeMarcus Cousins Scores 14 Points in Warriors Debut appeared first on SLAM.

Wednesday night saw the Swoosh debut its self-lacing Nike Adapt BB on the feet of two of the game’s rising stars, Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic. According to Nike’s presser, the foot can expand as much as a half-size during the course of the game so the shoe has been designed to allow the wearer to adjust the fit quickly either manually or via smartphone. Both players wore the initial “Black/White/Pure Platinum” colorway and fans can get their hands on the Adapt BB beginning on February 17. Retail for the futuristic model is set at $350.

In addition to the Adapt BB, Luka Doncic went in his bag and rocked two more pairs of Nikes as he went with the “Taco” Nike Kyrie 5 and the all-blue Nike PG 2. P.J. Tucker and Montrezl Harrell are both known for wearing multiple pairs in a game and both did it again with Tuck busting out the Sole Collector x Nike Air Penny 2 and another one of his own Nike Hyperdunk X Low PEs. Trezz went the KD rout bringing out the “Wheat” Nike KD VI EXT and the Nike Zoom KD V Elite.

During shoot around last night, DeMarus Cousins was spotted wearing his own Puma Clyde Court Disrupt PE with the tagline, “THE MARATHON CONTINUES” printed on the back heel. In Dallas, “King of Kobes” DeMar DeRozan wore another coveted model as he hit the hardwood in the “Mamba Day” Nike Kobe 11 Elite. And on the topic of Kobes, a bevy of of the A.D. Exodus was on display once again which you can see in below in our latest recap.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Cousins is set to make his debut for Golden State after missing nearly a year due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Oh man, this was so much fun: my conversation with @boogiecousins. On why he’s a better player than before he got hurt, the advice @DWilkins21 gave him, and why he thinks the Warriors are the most hated team in sports. https://t.co/5ApAratWkb

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) January 17, 2019

Boogie says he is “coming back for that top spot.”

Per ESPN:

There was a feeling at the start of this season that the Warriors were gonna be a title favorite regardless, that you needed them more than they needed you. But then the season has gone along and do you think it’s shifted a little? That they might need you at least a little more now, too?

Cousins: “I don’t really pay attention to storylines. I mean, they’re gonna say what they have to say. They’re gonna add their opinions. We’re the most hated team in sports.”

You think you’re the most hated team in sports?

Cousins: “Cousins: Can you name another?”

I would say there’s a lot of people in this country who love to hate the Yankees or the Cowboys.

Cousins: “Well, put us up there. (laughs) I would say the Warriors are for sure. You know they hate Kevin [Durant]. They hate me. I think the only guy they really like is Steph [Curry]. Actually, they may hate him as well. They hate Draymond [Green]. But I mean, it is what it is. I can’t worry about that.”

The bottom line is you are getting back on the basketball court. When people hear, “Boogie’s back,” what should they know?

Cousins: “I’m back, and I’m not looking back. I’m moving forward. I’m leaving it on the floor every night. And I plan on coming back for that top spot.”

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The post DeMarcus Cousins: ‘We’re the Most Hated Team in Sports’ appeared first on SLAM.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, though, says Boogie’s playing time has yet to be determined.

DeMarcus Cousins and Steve Kerr discuss Cousins’ impending Warriors’ debut: @anthonyVslater https://t.co/vxsQRHcQsP

— The Athletic (@TheAthleticSF) January 10, 2019

Cousins reveals that the negotiation over his return date “was all over the place.”

Per The Athletic:

“I’ll start him,” Kerr said. “After that, everything is on the table. We need to figure out what the rotations will look like, how many minutes he can play. We’ll have to play around with the minutes, the combinations, the sets. We haven’t had a player like him here before. So it’ll be new. It won’t be a plug him and he’ll fit right in. We’re going to play through him some. So there will be a period where we all have to adapt.”

How did they land on Jan. 18 as the target return date?

“It was a battle between myself, the training staff, the guys at the top,” Cousins said. “Eventually we all got on the same page and settled on that date.”

One thing that became very clear during Cousins’ interview is how much of a push and pull it has been between the Warriors’ decision makers, who have preached patience, and a stubborn star, now just six months away from another important foray into free agency, desperate to restart his productive career.

“(The target date) was all over the place, honestly,” Cousins said, when asked if he wanted to return sooner. “There’s not really a point on getting into what date we wanted. But we ended up finding this date, so let’s get ready for the 18th.”

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DeMarcus Cousins Expected to Make Season Debut Next Week

The post ‘I’ll Start Him’: DeMarcus Cousins Gearing Up for Return appeared first on SLAM.

Head coach Steve Kerr says Cousins has made “some big strides.”

Steve Kerr said during postgame tonight that DeMarcus Cousins could be back as soon as Golden State's Jan. 16 game against New Orleans: https://t.co/ziYvBQzeD9

— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) January 9, 2019

Boogie tore his Achilles tendon a year ago.

Per the SF Chronicle:

“I think it’ll happen around that (Jan. 18) time,” Kerr said. “It’s not as simple as, ‘That’s the game.’ It’s somewhere in that neighborhood. Now that we’re getting closer, and like I told you guys yesterday, he’s made some big strides the last week or two conditioning-wise, so if that continues and (director of sports medicine and performance) Rick (Celebrini) tells us that he’s ready to go, then it could be that game.

”Maybe it’s the New Orleans game a couple of days earlier (on Jan. 16). Maybe it’s the first game after that, but that’s definitely the range.”

Cousins had been eyeing a return from his torn left Achilles tendon at some point in February, but he moved up his target date after making significant strides in recent weeks. By coming back against the Clippers, he would have 36 regular-season games to get into a rhythm for the playoffs.

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DeMarcus Cousins: ‘2018 Was the Most Difficult and Challenging Year of My Life’

The post DeMarcus Cousins Expected to Make Season Debut Next Week appeared first on SLAM.

Cousins, 28, tore his Achilles tendon, missed out on a max contract and lost his 92-year-old grandmother the day after Christmas.

“I’ll put it as simple as possible, 2018 was the most difficult and challenging year of my life. I’m extremely excited for 2019,” @boogiecousins to @TheUndefeated https://t.co/XKIzeiJPR8 #warriors #nba #pelicans #kings

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) December 31, 2018

Boogie is ready for new beginnings in 2019.

Per The Undefeated:

“It’s been the longest year of my life,” Cousins, 28, told The Undefeated. “I’m looking forward to the new year and the new blessings. New tests. New excitement. Fresh year. Fresh start. …

“I’ll put it as simple as possible, 2018 was the most difficult and challenging year of my life. I’m extremely excited for 2019.”

When he ultimately returns, Cousins says, he is not worried about his ability to fit in with his teammates.

“Of course, it will be an adjustment period coming in midseason,” Cousins said. “But it is a team full of high IQs, so we will figure it out. Once the ball goes up, it will figure itself out. I trust the coaching staff. I trust my work ethic and our ability to come together. We will see what happens.”

While Cousins is certainly looking forward to ringing in 2019, he says he doesn’t feel sorry for himself. He added that his New Year’s resolution remains the same, which is simply, “Be better than I was the previous year.”

“I don’t look at adversity as a bad thing. It is to prepare you for what is next,” Cousins said. “You always go through life wanting to reach ‘that goal’ right away. You may not necessarily be prepared for it. We may think we are. God has a way of preparing you for it by letting you know you’re not ready for it. I look at this year and everything I’ve been through in that form. I’m ready for the next moment.”

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The post DeMarcus Cousins: ‘2018 Was the Most Difficult and Challenging Year of My Life’ appeared first on SLAM.

Kerr, who played with Michael Jordan on dynastic Chicago Bulls squads in the 1990s, says today’s media glare is even harsher for the defending champion Dubs.

Are the Warriors the most scrutinized team ever because of the interest in the NBA? No matter where you stand on that topic — Steve Kerr and his players aren’t concerned after a few bad losses. They’re still confident their best days are ahead. https://t.co/av4p8VJhfF

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) December 27, 2018

Golden State has lost four home games by 20 or more points this season, and has the second-best record in the Western Conference.

Per ESPN:

“The bar’s been set high,” Kerr said after Wednesday’s practice. “I told our guys that; I gave them that line today. You guys have set the bar really high. So everything takes on a little greater sense of urgency in terms of what happens around the team. We’re maybe the most scrutinized team in the history of the league. We’re right there with the Bulls teams that I played on. I felt the same, but even more so now because of the number of media outlets and the immediacy of the judgement and criticism. So it’s all part of it; our guys have learned how to deal with all of that over the past few years. It doesn’t matter. What matters is how you respond to a bad loss, to a bad stretch, to injuries. As long as you keep responding, keep showing up to work, keep sticking together, keep working, good things are going to happen. That’s what I believe with this group.”

Kerr’s optimism stems from the fact that his proud group has been through all kinds of ups and downs over the past five seasons since he became head coach.

“We’re a championship team,” Kerr said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who have been through everything in this league to rely on that experience. We rely on that as a staff with our leadership amongst the team, but we keep pressing forward. We keep trying to get better. There’s a reason we have practice every day, there’s a reason you guys show up every day and write about our team. It’s a journey, it’s a long journey. As I said, it’s a more arduous one this year than it’s been in the past just because of the circumstances. So it’s all part of it, we’re going to get through it, we’re going to get better. We’ll see what happens.”

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The post Steve Kerr: Warriors ‘Most Scrutinized Team’ in NBA History appeared first on SLAM.

O’Neal makes the case for his own title-winning squad, citing their legendary 15-1 run through the postseason.

No contest? https://t.co/DCXBfh9SbH

— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) December 12, 2018

Shaq adds that LeBron James is “up there” with Michael Jordan, and claims he’d personally average 45 points a night if he were playing in the current NBA.

Per USA Today:

“I think we’d easily win,” O’Neal told USA TODAY Sports by phone when asked which team was better. “Other people might feel different, they (the Warriors) might feel different. But we had one of the best teams of all-time in 2001 when we went 15-1 in the playoffs. We would’ve gone 16-0 but A.I. (Hall of famer Allen Iverson) went off on us and stepped over (former Laker) Ty Lue.”

Iverson recently said that while Lakers star LeBron James is the best of his generation, he doesn’t compare to Michael Jordan when debating the greatest of all-time. O’Neal beat Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in the 1995 playoffs with the Orlando Magic and was James’ teammate briefly with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10) in the twilight of his career. He said comparing the two is difficult to do.

“We’re talking about two different eras,” O’Neal said. “Jordan averaged 30 points when people could beat you up. The game was more physical. In this era, I’d average 45 (points a game) without free throws. Jordan ruled the 90s. Me and Kobe [Bryant] did the 2000s and LeBron’s doing his thing now.

“Numbers-wise, yeah, I guess you could say he’s up there with Jordan.”

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The post ‘We’d Easily Win’: Shaquille O’Neal Says the ’01 Lakers Would Beat Golden State appeared first on SLAM.

But one thing has remained constant for the League’s most dominant big man.

“I don’t ever wanna feel like I’m being defeated,” he says.

The resurgence is here.

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Report: DeMarcus Cousins Aiming to Return After Christmas

The post Can DeMarcus Cousins Return an All-Star? | SLAM Kicks appeared first on SLAM.

Boogie and the Golden State Warriors have yet to settle on a return date, however.

Sources: Warriors' injured center DeMarcus Cousins is ramping up his workload on his Achilles and is targeting a return to the lineup after Christmas. https://t.co/S2bcXPYyut via @mercnews

— Logan Murdock (@loganmmurdock) November 26, 2018

Cousins is said to have looked “solid” in a recent team scrimmage.

Per The Mercury News:

The determination was made during a meeting on Friday between Cousins and Golden State’s training staff, including head trainer Rick Celebrini.

Before the meeting, Cousins was hoping to join the lineup during the team’s upcoming five-game trip. There have been no setbacks in the recovery process and the decision to push back Cousins’ target date was made so he can regain his conditioning and enter the lineup at peak form.

Cousins — who signed a one-year, $5.2 million deal in July — participated in a scrimmage alongside Stephen Curry on Saturday before the Warriors’ 117-116 victory over Sacramento. According to a player in the scrimmage, Cousins looked “solid.” The scrimmages have been a part of Cousins’ new six-day-a-week regimen with the team in anticipation of his pending return.

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The post Report: DeMarcus Cousins Aiming to Return After Christmas appeared first on SLAM.

“He will be a free agent next year. Hopefully, down the line we can reconnect,” Davis told The Undefeated’s Marc Spears.

There are, however, some obstacles to a New Orleans return for Boogie. The Pelicans would probably have to lose Nikola Mirotic and Julius Randle to create enough cap space, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Also, per Spears, Cousins and Pelicans general manager Dell Demps’ relationship needs mending.

Another issue is that Cousins and Pelicans general manager Dell Demps have a relationship in need of repair and have not spoken since Cousins’ departure, sources said.

“My [question] for Dell is, why won’t he take questions from the media about the conversation we had on the second day of free agency?” Cousins told The Undefeated.

Cousins, an unrestricted free agent this summer, has averaged 21.5 points and 11 rebounds throughout his career.

RELATED:
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The post Anthony Davis ‘Hopeful’ DeMarcus Cousins Will Return to Pelicans appeared first on SLAM.

Steve Kerr on DeMarcus' 1-year deal with the W's:“We made no bones about it when we signed him. This is a 1-year deal and we're not going to have money to sign him next year so we'd like to help him win a championship and sign a great contract somewhere else. That's the reality."

— Logan Murdock (@loganmmurdock) November 1, 2018

Cousins, who is still recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, actually initiated contact with Golden State this past summer after it became clear to him there was no future in New Orleans.

He eventually agreed to a one-year deal with the reigning champs.

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In other words, the Dubs plan to run their offense through Boogie once he returns to action from a torn Achilles tendon.

Steve Kerr says #Warriors plan on using DeMarcus Cousins in 'David West role'https://t.co/PEgLLNP7tE pic.twitter.com/JcCtwIEjOH

— KNBR (@KNBR) October 24, 2018

Cousins will also be expected to launch three-pointers for the defending NBA champions.

Per KNBR:

“I think you’ll see us use him in that David West role from the last couple years, when David anchored the second unit,” Kerr said. “I think you’ll see us play through DeMarcus once he’s back, and we’ll put him on the low block and have guys cutting around him.”

Cousins shot over 35 percent from deep last year, an improvement on his career average of 33.8 percent.

“The other thing that we can do that we haven’t really had a big capable of doing since I’ve been here, is putting him in some high screens and popping him out to the 3-point line,” Kerr continued. “He’s a really good 3-point shooter, he’s got amazing soft hands, soft touch, and then he can pass from out there too.

“So it’s going to be fun to try and experiment with him and to try to find the right niche for him, and I know he’s excited and we’re all excited, but in the meantime it’s fun to watch Damian Jones and he’s come along and had a great start to the season.”

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“I am committed to being here,” Green says.

A conversation with Draymond Green: His role during the draft process, future contract negotiations and more: @anthonyVslater https://t.co/jvlVa1SdCV

— The Athletic (@TheAthleticSF) October 18, 2018

The All-Star forward took less money in order for the Dubs to land Kevin Durant, and will be looking to cash in as a free agent in 2020.

Per The Athletic (via B/R):

“I knew everything that was going on—I knew how much money we had, I knew our books, I knew what we’d have next year, I knew what the cap would be, I knew what was the most I could take, I knew what the max was,” Green said. “I knew everything. Then I made my decision. That’s how it should be.”

The 28-year-old Michigan State product understands the Warriors have some key decisions on the horizon with Klay Thompson becoming a free agent in 2019 and Durant staring at an opt out in June, followed by the end of his own contract in 2020.

“I want to be here a long time,” he said. “I want to spend my career here. I am committed to being here.”

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Curry is more concerned with chasing rings than the “narrative” surrounding who wins the NBA’s highest-indivisual honor.

Thompson: Why Stephen Curry should be, even wants to be, in the MVP conversation: @ThompsonScribe https://t.co/xRw5fICI88

— The Athletic (@TheAthleticSF) October 17, 2018

Per The Athletic:

“There is no narrative,” Curry said. “Every year, there are a few players in the mix. This year, it’s like five deep. If you’re not in that conversation …”

[…]

“I don’t care,” he said, seamlessly executing a shoulder shrug, smirk and eye roll simultaneously. “I just know the narrative isn’t there so I would have to go above and beyond. So, it’s whatever. I’m blessed to have three rings. I’m good.”

The 30-year-old future Hall of Famer adds that he’s only getting better as a player.

“We don’t have three rings if I don’t play the way that I played,” Curry told The Athletic. “So what else can I do? It sounds stupid and cliché and, whatever, passive. Like I’m deflecting or something.

“But I know I’ve gotten better every year. I know that even if people don’t. I’m better. That’s all I need to know.”

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