On March 5, Beijing time, the Nuggets won 116-101 against the Rockets to avoid a second consecutive defeat, this game Jokic and Rivers Jr. were absent due to illness, Mike Malone let Cousins replace Jokic to play the starting center, the result was very easy to give the Rockets 12 consecutive wins, Cousins also shined in this game.
This game is Demarcus Cousins' new high score after January 22, 2018, that is, five years later, 1502 days and nights of waiting, we finally see Cousins's "return of the king".
The game was 23 minutes and 33 seconds, 10 of 14, 3 of 4 from three points, 8 of 9 from the free throw line, 31 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 1 block, shooting 71.4%, shooting 75% from three-point range, 4 of 5 + 1 of 3-pointers in the first quarter, 14 points of 5 of 6 in the first half, and if Cousins didn't have those 5 fouls, I think he could have taken 40+ because the feel was too good.
Cousins also set a number of records in this game: 1. Cousins scored 31 points in 23 minutes and 33 seconds, which was the least time in the History of the Nuggets to score at least 30 points in a single game;
2. This is also the third-fewest game in Cousins' career to score more than 30 points in a single game;
3. This is Cousins' new scoring high after a gap of 5 years;
4. This is a new career scoring record for the Cousins Nuggets;
5. This is Cousins' new scoring high this season;
Cousins' performance impressed all the media, journalists, and fans, and as a low-paid veteran who has suffered many major injuries and traveled to many teams, he felt "warmth" for the first time.
In the 12 games he joined the Nuggets, the Nuggets lost only 1 game, Cousins Nuggets career is a perfect lucky player, although the average of only 9.4 points per game can always feel very relieved to play Jokic's bench, Jermiel Green does have the weakness of height and strength, and his fourth position on the bench will be better.
Nuggets journalist Joel Rush said after the game: "Cousins far exceeded my expectations, he was still recuperating when he joined the Nuggets, he just recovered and showed dominance, he may be the Nuggets' key signing this season. (The Nuggets have previously decided to extend Cousins' contract until the end of the season) Cousins earns only $1.13 million in the Nuggets.
Text/Yan Xiaobai