The Golden State Warriors are at Chesapeake Energy Arena for a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night. Despite Saturday's nationally-televised matchup serving as a measuring stick of sorts for two Western Conference powers as the playoffs quickly approach, Golden State is holding out Kevin Durant as a precautionary measure while Oklahoma City's former franchise player deals with a tender left ankle.
The Warriors, ever cognizant of load management this season, are likely to take a similar approach with other veterans as the regular season comes to a close. Regardless, the team is apparently pondering playing DeMarcus Cousins on both legs of an upcoming back-to-back against the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Steve Kerr said Dr. Rick Celebrini will decide tomorrow if DeMarcus Cousins will play the full back to back in San Antonio and Minnesota
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) March 16, 2019
Cousins has yet to play in both games of a back-to-back since making his 2018-19 debut in mid-January. The four-time All-Star missed the first three months of the season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles last season while a member of the New Orleans Pelicans. He signed a one-year deal with the Warriors over the summer, with the goal of playing well enough this season to re-enter unrestricted free agency come July and sign a long-term, big-money contract.
Cousins' acclimation to the two-time defending champions hasn't quite been seamless. Though he's for the most part proven a good fit offensively, Cousins has struggled immensely on the other end, with Golden State recently going so far as to tweak their entire defensive system to account for his labors.
Golden State, 46-21, is one game up on the Denver Nuggets for first place in the Western Conference.
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