So, we’re just two days removed from the Houston Rockets going against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers won that game 120-102, so not really anything to talk about from a X’s and O’s standpoint other than that Lakers look really really good, and the Rockets have some things they need to work on.
I want to start by saying that I am, generally, a fan of the Morris twins. They’re feisty, they’re dirty, they’ll do what needs to be done to get your team a win. I miss his brother Marcus in Boston every single day. They play well, they can score, they can rebound, they can play some defense. All good things that any team would want on their roster, however, at this stage in their careers, after nine years in the league, their roles are to be the “Dawg” of the team; someone who will fight, figuratively and literally, for your team to get a mental edge over your opponent. For the majority of their careers, they have done just that. Players like Gerald Green, Reggie Evans, Serge Ibaka, and Marcus Smart are the glue guys that your team needs to run to its fullest potential. Sometimes it can go a bit too far.
Up until this year, DeMarcus Cousins has had a pretty bad rep in the league. Viewed as someone who would fight you on the court, or someone you “wouldn’t want to see in a dark alley,” someone who is a dirty player, and I don’t think that’s fair. Yes, DeMarcus is intimidating. I mean, at 6’11”, 270, and as strong as an ox, who wouldn’t be a bit scared? With such size and intimidation, Cousins has gotten his unfair share of whistles, technical fouls, and ejections. Just two nights ago, after walking away from the scuffle shown above, Cousins was ejected after getting a Flagrant 2 foul after swatting at a LeBron James drive. He seemingly did not mean any mal intent with the swipe, but did manage to hit LeBron on the head.
You can see in the video that immediately after the play, Cousins went to check on LeBron to see if he was okay, but after the initial scuffle with Markieff Morris, the refs couldn’t let this one slide, and he was tossed for the night. With my whole heart, I believe that this is unfair, but I’m not a NBA ref so what do I know?
What I did like from this game was the maturity from Cousins. Yes, he still will stick up for his teammates, and won’t be bullied, but he now has the ability to walk away, which he did not have early in his career. Maturity can extend your career in the league. Imagine if Stephon Marbury or Allen Iverson had matured before it was too late. Maybe they don’t have to go to China and Turkey respectively, but you live and you learn, I guess. What Cousins has learned is that he needs to be a leader for this team, physically. Coming off the bench this year, behind budding star Christian Wood, Cousins is averaging 5.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in less than 13 minutes a game. Selfishly, I’d like to see a double big line up with Wood and Cousins, because Cousins is one of my favorite players in the league, but I also understand that this is a “prove it” contract, for this year and next.
Cousins has proven so far that in his limited role, he can still produce decent numbers, and with his continued proof of his health, I can only imagine that he’d see more and more playing time. Keep in mind that Cousins is just a couple years removed from an Achilles, quad, and ACL. Cousins has had an entire career’s worth of injuries in just a few seasons, so slow and steady should be the course for Cousins and the Rocket’s medical staff.
Even if Cousins never makes it back to All-Star status, I think this maturity will keep him in the league for a very long time. He can now take young players under his wing and show them by example what to do, and not do, to have a successful career. I at first thought it was funny that Markieff Morris charged Cousins, and then Cousins managed to not fall or stumble a bit. I laughed a good bit, but then I noticed that while everyone else on the floor was getting into each other’s faces, Cousins was on his way back to the Rocket’s bench. King’s DeMarcus Cousins would be the first one to get into someone’s face, and suffer any consequences that the team, or the league, would send his way. Life is all about growth; if you don’t grow, you die. Cousins is flourishing into an even better version of himself, and with more minutes, he can dominate the league again. I’m sure of it. I’m hopeful for his future, and I’m excited for the ride.
Round The Game 
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