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Golden State Warriors will be just fine without DeMarcus Cousins

By Justin Fried

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Andrew Bogut #12 of the Golden State Warriors grabs a rebound against Montrezl Harrell #5 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Staples Center on April 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Andrew Bogut #12 of the Golden State Warriors grabs a rebound against Montrezl Harrell #5 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Staples Center on April 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors have unfortunately lost star center DeMarcus Cousins likely for the rest of the postseason, but they should still be in good shape moving forward.

It’s never a good thing to lose one of your star players, especially at a crucial time in the postseason. Unfortunately, that’s just what happened for the Golden State Warriors a few days ago when the team was informed that it had lost center DeMarcus Cousins to a quad injury that will likely keep him out for the remainder of the season.

This is doubly sad for Cousins who had just finished playing in just the second playoff game of his time in the NBA. This was supposed to be the year that Cousins would finally make his mark in the NBA Playoffs, a time of the year that had alluded him for the first eight years of his career.

But alas, it just wasn’t meant to be.

For Cousins, this is extremely unfortunate and puts a damper on what has been a very solid season for the talented big man. But for the Warriors, this injury doesn’t necessarily mean the end of their championship aspirations.

After all, this is a team that has thrived in the past without Cousins. The Warriors are still led by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, the latter of which is arguably playing at the highest level of any player in the NBA at the moment. The likes of Klay Thompson and Draymond Green still occupy the starting lineup as well.

Essentially, it’s not as if the Warriors are short on star talent.

But perhaps the most overlooked aspect of all of this is with the players who will be taking Cousins’ place. The NBA — much like all sports — has a “next-man-up” mentality meaning that when one man goes down, someone must fill his shoes.

In the case of the Warriors, that man is Andrew Bogut.

Bogut rejoined Golden State a little over a month ago after spending a season playing ball in Australia in order to be closer to his family. The former Milwaukee Buck spent four seasons in the Bay Area helping lead the team to an NBA Championship in the 2014-15 season and a 73-win season in 2015-16.

With the current team, Bogut brings veteran leadership and a high basketball IQ which brings stability to the team’s starting lineup. He has long been regarded as one of the NBA’s best rim protectors and has a prior NBA All-Defensive Second Team honor in 2014-15 to show for it.

But Bogut isn’t the only man holding down the Warriors’ frontcourt.

Fourth-year pro Kevon Looney has received substantial playing time this season and will continue to do so in Cousins’ absence. Looney averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game this season and has steadily improved as a player in the process.

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The UCLA product was once regarded as one of the top prospects in the entire country but injury issues plummeted his draft stock allowing him to fall to the very end of the first round in 2015. Those injury concerns resurfaced in the NBA rendering his start as a professional unsuccessful.

But Looney is just starting to come into his own as a player after breaking out during last year’s playoff run. The 23-year-old has posted an incredible 85 percent true shooting percentage over the first three games of the postseason and has the same net rating as James Harden during that time span as well.

Yes, it may be a small sample size. But it’s evident that Looney has not only been an effective fallback option, but a viable starting candidate.

Combine Bogut’s veteran leadership and defensive prowess with Looney’s improving offense game and you had a dynamic one-two punch to step in and fill the massive shoes — both literally and figuratively — that Cousins left behind.

Of course, the remainder of the Warriors starting lineup will be asked to step up as well and they likely will. But the impact that Bogut and Looney have on the Warriors postseason run mustn’t be overlooked.

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As the Warriors look to become just the fourth different NBA franchise to pull off the immaculate three-peat, don’t underestimate the production that Bogut and Looney will bring to the table. Losing Cousins most certainly hurts, but Golden State is fortunate to have healthy alternatives ready to be called upon.

Don’t worry Warriors fans, this team will be just fine.

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