DeMarcus Cousins records first 30-point game in four years as a fill-in starter for Nikola Jokic
DeMarcus Cousins has come a long way in the basketball journey, and he deserves credit for the success that has come with it. He is one of the most productive players in the NBA before an Achilles injury in 2018, Cousins has been on five teams over the past four seasons as he’s looked to re-establish himself in the league.
While he’s been unable to find consistent rotation minutes lately, he is capable of making a great impact on the offensive end, as he made this obvious in the Denver Nuggets’ 116-101 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday.
Filling in as the starting center for reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, DeMarcus Cousins put up 31 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in 23 minutes. It was Cousins’ first 30-point game since January 2018, when he scored 44 points as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans, shortly before his Achilles injury.
“I’ve been doing this a long time. I know how to play the game, obviously,” Cousins said after his tremendous performance. “Just play ball. The rest will come to you.”
One of the most skilled big men the league has ever seen, DeMarcus Cousins went to work on Houston’s smaller, younger defenders early and often. He finished 10 for 14 from the field, 3 for 4 from 3-point range, 8 for 9 from the free-throw line and was a plus-10 for the game.
