Veteran Cousins replaced Jokic in the game against the Rockets, and the shot was like a dragon, breaking the sky with a roar!
Veteran Cousins replaced Jokic in the game against the Rockets, and the shot was like a dragon, breaking the sky with a roar! The story of his comeback after walking through the haze of injuries is another inspirational story for athletes after former MVP Rose!
Cousins last scored 30 points in a single game on Jan. 22, 2018, before the New Orleans Pelicans injured his left foot. After three serious injuries and throwing away the cane, Cousins finally ushered in the start, and last week against the Houston Rockets 23 minutes and 33 seconds to deliver 31 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, reminiscent of his all-rounder.
This game is of great significance to Cousins, not only is the Denver Nuggets' shortest player in history, with more than 30 points in a single game, but also makes the team start to have a high degree of trust in him. By the end of the season, he had several more opportunities to prove himself, becoming another inspirational athlete story after former MVP Derrick Rose.
Let's briefly review what cousins was and why, despite being seriously injured, was able to deliver his dominance. In the 2010 draft, he joined the Kings with the fifth pick in the first round, was selected as an All-Star in a row from 2015 to 2018, twice on the All-NBA Second Team, the first rookie team in 2011, and also joined the U.S. men's basketball team to win the World Championships and rio Olympic gold medals.
Cousins, who has just joined the NBA, will not only challenge teammates, coaches and teams, but also provoke fans through social media, and bad temper and star skills coexist
However, along with it is a hot temper, a tough attitude, once criticized as the league's most difficult star, NBA legend George Karl (George Karl) briefly coached him, once on Twitter (Twitter) publicly named Cousins is the most hated player, on-court and off-court words and deeds like a time bomb, at any time will trigger the impact of everyone. Worse than temper is the frequent injuries, in just a few years the left foot three serious injuries, including left Achilles tendon, left leg quadriceps, and left knee anterior cruciate ligament have lacerations, enough to end the athlete's career. Brian Sutterer, a famous American doctor, said bluntly that Cousins' repeated injury to his left foot was caused by the failure to fully recover and the rush to come back, and the injuries have been repeated in the past few years, which has disappointed the signed teams such as the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Milwaukee Bucks until the Nuggets invited, which made Cousins feel home for the first time.
At the low point of his career, the key is the former coach Michael Malone, who managed the Kings between 2013 and 2015 and led Cousins, who was at the peak of his career. Malone said: "Cousins is in good shape and has been following him since joining the Nuggets. When the Bucks cut cousins with a calf strain and no team called him, Nuggets management quickly mobilized to bring people to Denver. Malone said cousins need trust, and the Nuggets are willing to extend his entry.
Giving Cousins (centre) his last chance was former coach Malone (left), who believes the veteran is ready and can help the team win in different ways.
With a four-time All-Star title, Cousins in the Nuggets' locker room is highly respected. Malone pointed out that as a veteran of the league for many years, Cousins does not need outsiders to tell him what to do, which has been the same since 2013 to 15 years, and Cousins will always be prepared in advance. To cherish his last chance, Cousins lost 8 to 10 pounds after flying to Denver, controlled his personal emotions as much as possible, and gladly accepted playing as a substitute next to Nikola Jokic.
Unlike other coaches, Malone praised Cousins' outspoken personality: "He is willing to speak out, is a person with personality, and is not afraid to share his ideas." Sometimes those ideas are refreshing and I'm glad there's a dressing room leader who keeps reminding and supervising young players. On the court, Cousins contributed to the average playing time in just 14.6 minutes, scoring 9.5 points and 6.8 rebounds, effectively reducing the pressure of the start, providing defensive cover for Jeff Green and JaMychal Green, and reminding the coach to challenge the referee to blow the whistle.
After a major injury over the past few years, Cousins (left) is no longer the Kings superstar and has now transitioned to a deputy willing to play on the bench.
Watching Cousins adapt to his new role, Malone said: "Let's not forget who that person is, healthy Cousins has the power of the perimeter, the threat of the outside line, and the selfless organizer, right?" I think the Nuggets have the best twin-tower combination in the league. Cousins himself is happy with the new environment, he said in an interview: "It's good to have a coach who believes in you and a team that believes in you. "In six seasons with the Kings, Cousins never led a team into the playoffs, experienced major injuries, tossed many teams from the main force to deputy, he used the story of rebirth to make fans remember the name.