Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins may get to experience the NBA Finals starting Thursday against the Toronto Raptors.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Cousins will be active for Game 1.
Even though Cousins will be available, head coach Steve Kerr told reporters he’s unsure if the four-time All-Star will get any playing time.
Cousins suffered a torn left quadriceps muscle less than four minutes into Game 2 of the Warriors’ first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Afterward, the team announced he was out indefinitely and would “begin rehabilitation immediately.”
Shortly after Cousins went down, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported there was “faint optimism” that he could return in time for the NBA Finals.
“I’ll just say a while because I think it’s unclear right now how long he’ll be out,” head coach Steve Kerr said after the injury.
The team held up its end of the bargain, advancing to the Finals after defeating the Clippers, Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers. The center also fought his way back, competing in a team scrimmage prior to the start of the Finals, per Nick Friedell of ESPN.com.
Golden State then provided an update saying the squad “anticipated” he would be able to appear in the NBA Finals.
Cousins hadn’t made the playoffs prior to this season, and this will mark his first time in the NBA Finals.
In January 2018, the 28-year-old suffered torn Achilles that cost him the end of last season and the start of this year. He signed a one-year deal with the Warriors and averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in 30 appearances during the 2018-19 regular season.
He will now have an opportunity to make an impact for the Warriors as they attempt to win their third straight championship.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
