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Draymond Green believes that teammate DeMarcus Cousins has taken his recent defensive scolding to heart.
“It pi**ed him off. He's a competitor,” Green said following the Warriors' 122-105 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
Draymond on criticism DeMarcus fielded on defense: “It pissed him off. He’s a competitor.” Draymond then explained why he considered criticism to be unfair pic.twitter.com/JT7AbT6SO7
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) March 9, 2019
From the moment Cousins signed his one-year, $5.3 million with the Golden State Warriors last summer, he adopted the enormous pressure that goes with competing alongside back-to-back NBA Champions.
The Warriors are the obvious ongoing favorites to win the Finals throughout each year as long they have their star-studded core at full health. Since Cousins was incorporated into the lineup in January, he has taken on an “unfair” role as the team's scapegoat whenever things go South during games. Green continued to back Cousins in the press conference.
“Everybody wants to single one guy out, but yet our entire team defense was horrible the last two weeks, Green said. “Everyone picked it up.”
Golden State's defense held Denver to 37.9 percent shooting on the night.
Cousins, in particular, shined in the victory – plucking three steals and erasing six shots.
“I don't think you [the media] really know what defense means, Kevin Durant told reporters. You look at the numbers and the stats, and the blocks, and it's easy for you to say, ‘Oh, DeMarcus had a great game.' If somebody else tells you he didn't play well, then that's what you'll write.”
“But I don't think anybody in our locker room is really blaming DeMarcus for anything. We all have our miscommunications out there, miscues out there, whatever you want to call it, but I don't think you guys had anything to do with [this win].”
The Golden State Warriors improved to 45-20, and remain atop the Western Conference standings.
Klay Thompson returned to the court with a 39-point performance in the win, after missing the last week due to knee soreness.
