Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made his first big adjustment of the NBA Finals on Sunday, choosing to start formerly injured center DeMarcus Cousins after a lone eight-minute stint on the court following a six-week absence.
While the move seemed inexplicable at the time, Kerr gambled and won big, with his starting center putting up 11 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocks in 28 minutes of playing time:
“We talked about it as a staff two days ago,” Kerr said after his news conference, according to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. “And it was pretty much unanimous that we should start him. He’s starting to feel healthier. I thought he gave us some good minutes the other night.
“And let’s face it, with the injury to Kevin, we need some scoring punch from another position besides the backcourt.”
Cousins was the best available cog to plug in after Jordan Bell gave neutral-at-best results following his start in Thursday's Game 1, scoring only two points in 12 minutes of action.
The big man's insertion into the starting lineup would allow for Kevon Looney to keep his usual role coming off the bench, while giving the Warriors a potential double-team solver on post-up possessions.
Cousins was visibly hesitant through the first stretch, picking up two quick fouls in the first two minutes of regulation. But once he returned to the floor, he was assertive, making the right play and looking to initiate, which ultimately gave the Warriors the punch they needed.
As a defender, Cousins was surprisingly strong, blocking shots and snatching boards while Draymond Green roamed free, terrorizing perimeter shooters and patrolling passing lanes.
So far, it seems Kerr is rolling the best dice of his five-year career as a coach in this league.
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