DeMarcus Cousins admits: He thought about quitting. “A lot of doors closed,” Cousins says. Houston, where Cousins played 25 games in 2020-21, was rock bottom. “It was horrible,” Cousins said. “A lot of teams promise you one thing, will tell you something in your face, and when the time comes around, no phone calls, they go silent. They tell you one thing and then tell your agent another. It’s just a lot of bulls—. There’s a lot of bulls— in this business, and in my eyes, a lot of it’s unfair. But it is what it is.”
Source: Chris Mannix @ Sports Illustrated
Source: Chris Mannix @ Sports Illustrated
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Katy Winge @katywinge
Joker good. 12 pts 13 rebounds.
AG good. 15 pts.
Boogie good. 8 pts in 6 minutes.
Free throw attempts good. 20 of them in the first half.
Only giving up 3 points even though Denver has turned it over 9 times, you take that.
Some things to build on, all tied up at the half. – 11:14 PM
Joker good. 12 pts 13 rebounds.
AG good. 15 pts.
Boogie good. 8 pts in 6 minutes.
Free throw attempts good. 20 of them in the first half.
Only giving up 3 points even though Denver has turned it over 9 times, you take that.
Some things to build on, all tied up at the half. – 11:14 PM
Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Halftime rotations for the Nuggets as it’s all knotted up at 48 in Game 5 vs GSW:
-Joker had 12-13-5 but 5 turnovers and some missed FTs. Denver needs perfection in 2H
-Aaron Gordon, take a bow, 15 points and some great defense. Be careful w/ the tech
-Boogie SAVED the bench pic.twitter.com/WjZ47GdU7d – 11:14 PM
Halftime rotations for the Nuggets as it’s all knotted up at 48 in Game 5 vs GSW:
-Joker had 12-13-5 but 5 turnovers and some missed FTs. Denver needs perfection in 2H
-Aaron Gordon, take a bow, 15 points and some great defense. Be careful w/ the tech
-Boogie SAVED the bench pic.twitter.com/WjZ47GdU7d – 11:14 PM
Michael Singer @msinger
#Nuggets are about to take their 16th FTs of the 1st half. They’ve gotten games from AG (14 points), Joker (6/9/4) & Boogie (8 points). Haven’t let the Warriors get loose at all. They were close (or leading) midway through the 2nd in Games 1/2. Can’t fault their fight so far … – 10:59 PM
#Nuggets are about to take their 16th FTs of the 1st half. They’ve gotten games from AG (14 points), Joker (6/9/4) & Boogie (8 points). Haven’t let the Warriors get loose at all. They were close (or leading) midway through the 2nd in Games 1/2. Can’t fault their fight so far … – 10:59 PM
Anthony Slater @anthonyVslater
Nuggets are cumulative +2 in the DeMarcus Cousins minutes in this series. Major win for Denver, missed chance for Warriors. Lets Jokic rest comfortably. Cousins gets targeted on D, but he’s been a hassle for GSW to guard. At minimum, think he’s earned backup C gig this summer. – 10:58 PM
Nuggets are cumulative +2 in the DeMarcus Cousins minutes in this series. Major win for Denver, missed chance for Warriors. Lets Jokic rest comfortably. Cousins gets targeted on D, but he’s been a hassle for GSW to guard. At minimum, think he’s earned backup C gig this summer. – 10:58 PM
Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
DeMarcus. Cousins. And Denver is keeping the boards too which is vital to limiting GSW to one shot. – 10:55 PM
DeMarcus. Cousins. And Denver is keeping the boards too which is vital to limiting GSW to one shot. – 10:55 PM
Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Nuggets will be in the bonus for the rest of the quarter. DeMarcus Cousins has been worth his weight in gold. – 10:55 PM
Nuggets will be in the bonus for the rest of the quarter. DeMarcus Cousins has been worth his weight in gold. – 10:55 PM
Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nuggets just got some massive 2nd quarter minutes from DeMarcus Cousins. – 10:54 PM
Nuggets just got some massive 2nd quarter minutes from DeMarcus Cousins. – 10:54 PM
Michael Singer @msinger
… Where would the #Nuggets be right now without DeMarcus Cousins? He’s anchored this second unit so far this quarter. – 10:50 PM
… Where would the #Nuggets be right now without DeMarcus Cousins? He’s anchored this second unit so far this quarter. – 10:50 PM
Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Malone trying to buy time with Facu, Forbes, Bones, Jeff Green and Boogie on the floor. Three point guards for the Nuggets. Basically just go straight 90’s, pound the ball inside and let Boogie bully his way to the rim ball until Joker comes back in. – 10:43 PM
Malone trying to buy time with Facu, Forbes, Bones, Jeff Green and Boogie on the floor. Three point guards for the Nuggets. Basically just go straight 90’s, pound the ball inside and let Boogie bully his way to the rim ball until Joker comes back in. – 10:43 PM
Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
This Facu Campazzo, Bones Hyland, Bryn Forbes, JaMychal Green, DeMarcus Cousins lineup played zero minutes together during the regular season. Season debut in Game 5. – 10:42 PM
This Facu Campazzo, Bones Hyland, Bryn Forbes, JaMychal Green, DeMarcus Cousins lineup played zero minutes together during the regular season. Season debut in Game 5. – 10:42 PM
Marcus Thompson @ThompsonScribe
Unlike last game, Warriors immediately puts Boogie in the pick-and-roll – 10:35 PM
Unlike last game, Warriors immediately puts Boogie in the pick-and-roll – 10:35 PM
Peter Vecsey @PeterVecsey1
Before every Nuggets’ game, the NBA should get ahead of itself and automatically deduct 15-25G from DeMarcus Cousins’ pay… – 6:34 PM
Before every Nuggets’ game, the NBA should get ahead of itself and automatically deduct 15-25G from DeMarcus Cousins’ pay… – 6:34 PM
More on this storyline
The money disappeared. Interest from teams dried up. A player once considered one of the NBA’s best centers struggled to earn 10-day contracts. “It’s crazy, you do so much and then leave,” Cousins told SI. “You’ve proven yourself year after year, and once you hit the end of that adversity, they just kind of give up on you. You know, I look at some of my other peers, and they went through similar situations and they can bounce back and still get the same opportunities. I mean, I would be lying to say it doesn’t suck, but these are the cards I’ve been dealt, and all I can do is deal with it to the best of my ability.” -via Sports Illustrated / April 27, 2022
Cousins will be a free agent again this summer. He says he has enjoyed his time in Denver and would like to come back. But he admits he still pines for a bigger role. He hopes his stint in Denver has shown the league that, at 31, he still has a lot left. “I feel great,” Cousins says. “I know I’m healthy again, I know my body can hold up to everything I’m trying to do out there to play at a high level. I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I appreciate Mike giving me a chance, believing in my talents. We’ll see what happens.” -via Sports Illustrated / April 27, 2022
DeMarcus Cousins: Then Milwaukee came around. I thought I had found a home. Everything went smoothly. Another situation where I still don’t really understand that situation. They say it was for financial flexibility that [I was waived]. I’m not buying it. So, I don’t know. I’ve always been a firm believer everything happens for a reason, so this place [Denver] found me, and it’s been good. It’s been a good fit on both sides. They appreciate my value. It’s mostly been smooth since then. -via Andscape / April 19, 2022