There are just no words. No words to describe what a heartbreaking night this is for DeMarcus Cousins and the New Orleans Pelicans franchise.
From the moment he came into the league with Sacramento, Cousins has been disrespected. He gained this bad-boy image for picking up dirty technical fouls and not always gelling with his team or coaches. A stunning trade to New Orleans at last year’s All-Star break gave Cousins a blank slate to change people’s minds even though all people could talk about was, “Can he keep himself together to ever be successful?”
Everyone doubted him. Officials to this day unfairly judge him, as any complaint from him instantly results in a technical due to his prior history. Yet this season, things were finally clicking. The Pelicans, after sticking to a .500 record for most of the season, started to string some wins together and gain confidence in large part thanks to Cousins’ remarkable performances. Just this week, Cousins put up 44 points, 24 rebounds and 10 assists in a game, something that hadn’t been done since Wilt Chamberlain did it in 1968. More importantly, Cousins carried his team back from a 17 point fourth quarter deficit to a double overtime victory against the Chicago Bulls in a game that also saw Anthony Davis foul out in the first overtime. Cousins found a way to win his team the game.
That win and those numbers gained attention from around the league. It came days after both Cousins and Davis were announced as All-Star starters, giving New Orleans its first All-Star duo in franchise history. With wins in six of their last seven games, a historic performance by Cousins and two All-Stars, the Pelicans finally seemed to be gaining steam. All of that came crashing down Friday night.
Shooting a free throw after grabbing a key rebound and making a basket to practically give New Orleans their best win of the year against the Houston Rockets, DeMarcus Cousins hustled to follow his miss, and as he jumped toward the ball, he fell near the Rockets bench and couldn’t get up. He remained down on the court for awhile, attempted to get up, and went right back down. He had to be carried off the court and into the locker room. The Pelicans went on to win, but no one was celebrating.
Early reports say Cousins has a torn Achilles tendon and is out for the rest of the season. The on-court impact is clear. The Pelicans just lost one of the best players in the NBA, someone who just started to put everything together, as well as someone who is a free agent at the end of the year but seemingly wants to stay in New Orleans.
How the Pelicans recover is yet to be seen. Maybe Davis steps up for his teammate. Maybe a trade is made to acquire some help. Maybe the Pelicans continue to play well and make the playoffs. But what’s most heartbreaking in all of this is the fate of DeMarcus Cousins. Hopefully he recovers quickly and can return to dominating the sport.
Cousins has fought so hard to just to be a winner. All the drama people see from the outside comes from a desire to win. He has never played a playoff game and was on track to make it this year. Unfortunately, the playoffs will have to wait for Cousins, all because he gave an all-out effort to win his team a game. Effort that he’s always had and will no doubt continue to have in his rehab of a gut-wrenching injury.