Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has told the media that big man DeMarcus Cousins will be available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals tonight. Cousins has been sidelined with a quad injury since the first round.
While the severity of Cousins’ April injury wasn’t known immediately, it was promptly revealed that the center had a partially torn quad. At no point in the process was he required to undergo surgery.
Cousins, less than a season removed from a devastating Achilled injury, suffered the non-contact quad injury chasing down a loose ball against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
While fears that Cousins could be out for yet another substantially period of time reverberated through informal NBA circles, Cousins was never formally ruled out for the postseason. Earlier this Month we wrote about Cousins’ stated desire to return in the playoffs.
Cousins’ arrival comes at an ideal time for the Warriors, as they brace for an NBA Finals matchup with the Eastern Conference champion Toronto Raptors. Cousins will line up across from Marc Gasol in the series.
It’s unclear at this stage if Cousins will start, be on a minute restriction or even see the court in his first taste of action since April.
