Houston Rockets center DeMarcus Cousins scored his first points of the season Thursday night against the Sacramento Kings, capping an 18-month span in which he did not play a game.
Last taking the court with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals in 2019, Cousins has been snake-bitten over the last several years, suffering a tear to his ACL and rupture to his Achilles, respectively, as well as dealing with ailments to his knees.
Despite the uncertainty regarding his ability to stay on the court, the Rockets signed Cousins to the veteran minimum, hoping he could provide an offensive boost to the team alongside James Harden.
While he may no longer be an All-Star, Cousins can still shoot the rock. See the start of the comeback for yourself:
https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/1344803676423155714
Initiating the play by beginning a high screen for Harden, Cousins adeptly slips the action with a quick curl towards the sideline. With the defense climbing over the big man on their way to spring a trap on Harden, Cousins operates with several feet of space as the Kings' Corey Joseph tries to contest the shot.
Though leg injuries may have sapped him of some of his speed and verticality, the center's quick trigger remains as he utilized the half-second to fire away a bomb from behind the line for three-points.
With the Rockets expected to limit Cousins' minutes as they ease him into the rotation, the center's ability to provide contributions off the bench will likely determine how quickly Houston finds more playing time. For a team looking to compete in a competitive Western Conference, Cousins may prove to be an asset that is a necessity rather than a luxury.
The Rockets currently hold a slim lead over the Kings in the second half.
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