J-Speaks: Big Loss In "The Big Easy"

With his third triple-double on the season, and is second of the week of 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, to go along with four steals, New Orleans Pelicans All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins played a major role again in his team’s seventh win their last eight outings. However, his night would not have a pleasant conclusion as what happened at the end of the team’s win would alter the Pelicans season, and his NBA future. 

In the final seconds of the Pelicans (27-23) 115-112 win versus the Houston Rockets on Jan. 26 on ESPN, Cousins was going after a lose ball off his missed free throw, as he tapped the ball back inbounds, he landed awkwardly, and was on the ground in pain in his foot. 

Cousins tried to get up off the ground as the rest of his teammates go back defensively to preserve a 113-109 lead at that moment. He then fell onto the floor again, laying on his back with his both hands placed on his head.

Following a foul on a three-point attempt by the Rockets, two of Cousins’ teammate helped him off the floor, and into the Pelicans’ locker room. 

It was later revealed after the game by head coach Alvin Gentry that the All-Star center injured his left Achilles. 

“He’ll get an MRI. We’ll know the severity of it tomorrow,” Gentry said. “We just know it’s his Achilles. We won’t know the damage, or what’s going on until we see the MRI tomorrow.”

That MRI confirmed the worst as the Pelicans the next day of Jan. 27 as the Pelicans announced in a press release stating, “that forward DeMarcus Cousins has been diagnosed with a rupture of the left Achilles tendon. Pelicans Director of Medical Services/Head Team Physician Dr. Misty Suri performed the initial examination and diagnosis. An MRI taken last night confirmed the diagnosis as a left Achilles tendon rupture.” 

“Cousins will undergo surgery to repair the injury and will miss the remainder of the season. Further updates will be provided appropriately.” 

According to a tweet from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, a source he communicated with says that it will take Cousins 6 to 10 months to recover from this injury. 

That means, he will miss the All-Star Game in Los Angeles, CA Feb. 18 on TNT. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver chose Oklahoma City Thunder forward/guard Paul George as a replacement.

This is a big blow to a team that as mentioned earlier was really catching fire with their seven win in their last eight contests, and their fourth in a row. 

During that period of time, Cousins had six double-doubles, beginning with an effort of 24 points, 19 rebounds, along with eight assists, and two blocks in leading the Pelicans to a 119-113 versus the Portland Trail Blazers (29-22) on Jan. 12. 

His second triple-double of the season of 44 points, 23 rebounds, and assists, to along with four steals in the Pelicans 132-128 overtime win versus the Chicago Bulls (18-33) was the first since Hall of Famer, and six-time league MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972 to register 40 points, 20 boards, and 10 assists in a game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson, and Wilt Chamberlin also performed that feat. 

It was also a display of how far Cousins has come as a player, both on the court with his play, and his demeanor. His standing as a teammate, and star player were at the highest of his eight-year career. 

He went from a talent player, who became more well known for his inability to control his temper with the referees to gaining headlines for his play on the court. 

He was getting more attention with his play, and how he, and fellow All-Star center, and fellow Kentucky Wildcat Anthony Davis displayed an ability to compliment on another on both ends of the court that many had called into question if they could mesh together on both ends. 

Cousins showed some of that maturity when he said after his historic triple-double when he said, “It’s about the win.”

“That type of energy is going to carry us through the remainder of the season. Any given night, it could be somebody’s night, and it so happened to be mine tonight. The next game, it may be somebody else’s night, and we’re going to rally around that guy the same way.”

The 6’10” Cousins was averaging career-highs in rebounds per game (12.9), which was No. 3 in the league this season; assists at 5.4; blocks per game (1.6), ranked No. 7 in the league; steals per game at 1.6, which was ranked No. 11 in the NBA; and three-pointers made at 104, where he was shooting 35.4 percent in the final season of his current contract. 

“It’s just unfortunate,” NBATV analyst Steve Smith during the Saturday edition of “Gametime,” last weekend. “We’re watching a big guy that’s just showing us everything. We’ve seen some guys shoot some threes, but handling the basketball, the assists, and being able to do this with Anthony Davis, and him allowing him to be able to still get unreal numbers, and they we’re winning. They we’re starting to find a grove. I was looking forward to these two bigs in the playoffs.”

To put the season Cousins was having into perspective, he, first time All-Star selection in forward/center Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks, perennial All-Star forward Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors, and first time All-Star selection Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves were the only players in the NBA with 75-plus blocks shots, and 75-plus made three-pointers this season. 

He was expected to command a huge max contract, maybe even a super max contract this offseason. That gamble the Pelicans made in acquiring him at the All-Star break a season ago, and how he and Davis have made a dominant pairing in a league that has gone to smaller lineups, and embraced the three-point shot, the Pelicans figured to make their first postseason appearance since the spring of 2015, and the first appearance in the playoffs in Cousins’ eight-year career. All of that has changed dramatically, particularly the Pelicans hopes of making the postseason. 

The Pelicans have sustained two consecutive losses to inferior opponents at the Smoothie King Center. The first was to the Los Angeles Clippers 112-103 at home on Sunday, and a 114-103 versus the Sacramento Kings (16-34). 

In their loss versus the Clippers (25-25), the Pelicans, who had a 21-point lead at one point in the first half, where outscored 29-15 in the third quarter, and were outscored 61-41 in the second half. 

Without Cousins, the Pelicans relied more on a smaller lineup, with reserve forward Daunte Cunningham starting for the All-Star big man, and had eight points, and seven rebounds in the game. Davis led the Pelicans wit 25 points, 17 rebounds, six assists, and two steals in 41 minutes, on 8 for 17 from the field, and 9 for 12 at the foul line. 

The Pelicans attempted 35 three-point shots, but only connected on nine of them. They only hit 2 of 15 from long distance in the second half. 

“We didn’t make shots to start the quarter and we let it affect our aggressiveness defensively,” Gentry, whose team’s woes in the third quarter continued said. “We have to get past that.” 

Those same struggles were carried over in the loss versus the Kings 48 hours later where the Pelicans despite shooting 50.6 percent on the night where out-rebounded by the visitors 49-36; out-rebounded the Pelicans 55-42, including 14-2 on the offensive glass; outscored them 26-0 in second chance points and 52-42 in the paint. The Pelicans struggled again from three-point range going 9 for 25, including going 3 for 15 in the second half from distance. 

Davis had another double-double of 23 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and six blocks, but shot 6 for 16 from the field, though he was 9 for 10 at the charity stripe in 46 minutes. 

Veteran forward Zach Randolph of the Kings had a double-double of 26 points, and 12 rebounds, while center Kosta Koufos had 17 points, and a career-high of 17 rebounds, which included seven offensive boards. 

“Anytime you lose a player like DeMarcus Cousins, there’s going to be residue from it,” coach Gentry. “Some kind of way, we’ve got to get over that. It may take a few games. 

In a serious pickle, the Pelicans front made a move to at least keep them in playoff contention acquiring forward Nikola Mirotic from the Chicago Bulls along with a 2018 Second-Round pick, in exchange for center Omer Asik, guard/forward Tony Allen, veteran guard Jameer Nelson, and a protected 2018 First-Round pick. 

While he may not provide the kind of rebounding, and low-post presence that Cousins gave, the addition of Mirotic, who averaged 16.8 points, and 6.4 boards, on 47.4 percent from the field, and 42.9 from three-point range will give the Pelicans a knockdown shooter, who will spread the floor, and give Davis much needed space to operate down low.

The Pelicans just one week ago were flying high, no pun intended, and look to be a lock to make the playoffs for the first time in the last three seasons. The loss of Cousins has put that dream in jeopardy.  

Going forward, Davis will have to raise his game even higher, and not miss anytime because of injury. Mirotic will have become a serious second option, so that the rest of the Pelicans cast in Rajon Rondo, Darius Miller, Jrue Holiday, and Ian Clark can play their roles, and not play out of character. More than anything, the Pelicans must fix their third quarter issues, because having second half performances like their last one, where they were outscored 53-41 versus the Kings will prevent them from making the postseason.

“I still think we’re a good team,” coach Gentry said after the loss versus the Kings. “I still think we’re going to be OK.” 

“We’re going to keep fighting. At the end of the day, no matter who’s on the floor, we’re going to compete,” Davis said after the win versus the Rockets on how the team will respond in the absence of Cousins.  

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of www.nba.com/games/20180124/NOPCHA#/preview; 1/26/18 www.nba.com story, “New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles) Out for Season;” 1/27/18 1 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime,” presented by State Farm with Casey Stern, Steve Smith, and Brendan Haywood; www.nba.com/games/20180128/LACNOP#/recap/boxscore; www.nba.com/games/ www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/gamelog/_/id/4258/demarcus-cousins; www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/6583/anthony-davis; www.espn.com/nba/statistics; www.espn.com/nba/standings; and 2/2/18 1 a.m. edition of “Inside the NBA,” presented by Kia on TNT with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal.