Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr met with the media one day before Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
Kerr didn’t provide much of an update as it relates to star forward Kevin Durant. The two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP is already out for Game 1 with a calf injury. He has yet to practice with the team.
The championship head coach did cover DeMarcus Cousins and his recovery from a torn quad muscle — an injury that happened in Game 2 of the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Cousins has been practicing with Golden State over the past few days. But he’s deemed questionable for Game 1.
In talking about his All-Star center, it seems like Kerr is ready to get Cousins on the court for the start of the Finals Thursday evening in Toronto.
Kerr certainly seemed to tip his hand there. “We have to figure what’s the best way to utilize him.”
If Cousins plays, his role will likely be different than what we saw during the regular season. Fellow big man Kevon Looney has played well in the playoffs. There’s also some concern that Cousins’ defense could act as a deterrent to Golden State’s success.
Offensively, he remains a machine. Cousins averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds in 30 regular-season games after returning from the Achilles injury he suffered as a member of the Pelicans back in 2017-18.