Getty Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins
As the Golden State Warriors attempt to advance to the NBA Finals by taking down Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers, big questions loom around the team. Specifically, questions about the health of two of their key stars in Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins.
While Durant’s status remains a major question mark, the same stands true for Cousins, although it’s a positive that there’s even a chance he could return this year. The Warriors center suffered a torn quadriceps during Game 2 of their first-round matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. Initially, it was believed that he would miss the remainder of the season.
Now, the possibility for a return if the Warriors make the NBA Finals appears to be on the table.
DeMarcus Cousins Gets On-Court Work, Not Close to Return
While Cousins has taken a positive step forward in his rehab, it’s not nearly enough to believe that he’ll suit up in the near future. As ESPN’s Nick Friedell reported, Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke about Cousins’ rehab while citing a positive in his return to on-court work.
Unfortunately, Kerr also added that he’s “not exactly close to playing in a game.”
“DeMarcus is coming along,” Kerr said before Thursday’s game. “He’s starting to do some work on the floor, so he’s not exactly close to playing in a game but he’s making good strides with his rehab and getting out on the court and starting to do some conditioning things. We’ll see where that goes.”
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DeMarcus Cousins Planning for Return From Injury
Cousins made headlines when issuing a strong statement about his status and potential return from injury previously. During a conversation with ESPN’s Marc J. Spears on The Undefeated, the Warriors big man was adamant that he would have a “very nice ending.”
“For me, my goal is I ain’t planning on sitting,” Cousins told The Undefeated. “I don’t know the reality of it. But for me, that is not what I’m planning on doing…It’s definitely some type of bad movie. But I think it will have a very nice ending. Just wait for it.”
Cousins proceeded to state that he was “confident” after hearing about the severity of his injury. He also told Spears and ESPN that he was “relieved that it wasn’t anything catastrophic” like he’s dealt with before. The 28-year-old missed a good chunk of the 2018-19 regular season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in 2018 with the New Orleans Pelicans.
While Cousins will surely make a big push to return if the Warriors are able to advance to the NBA Finals, there’s no guarantee that he’ll be able to do so. Regardless, the fact he’s at least progressed to on-court work is a big deal, and a potential trip to the finals would almost certainly be the only scenario where he could return.
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