OAKLAND, Calif. _ There's no question that DeMarcus Cousins has been a welcome addition to the Warriors this season. But the big man has yet to reach peak form coming off an Achilles tendon injury that could prove to be career-defining.
His offensive game is sputtering _ over his last seven contests, he has averaged 39 percent from the floor and 16 percent from behind the arc _ and his defense has been lacking from the start of his Warriors' tenure.
The offense will come around _ we're in a waiting game there. But the defense has proven to be a concern in recent games. Cousins is giving up far more than he's getting, and even an offensive uptick might not change that.
Much of Cousins' defensive struggles can be contributed to conditioning. He's one of the NBA's most massive players so it's going to take time to get into game shape. Also, he has experienced some communication issues that should be expected with a new player.
Yes, Boogie is trying to find his groove. He's trying to reach his 100 percent _ whatever that might be post-injury.
But now he has to face James Harden, who arrives Saturday night at Oracle Arena with a 32-game streak of scoring at least 30 points.
It couldn't be a worse matchup at a worse time for Cousins and the Warriors.
I have some things I need to say about Houston's Harden _ who some people (incorrectly) consider the MVP of the NBA this year.
Harden is a basketball tax lawyer _ the kind of guy you would kick out of a church-league game for playing the way he does. His game is a rote and tactical one-on-one showdown where the rulebook is his most important teammate. Harden's style is joyless, austere and unwatchable. While I appreciate that this makes him a perfect rival for the Warriors, that's where the appreciation ends.
Harden's game also is ruthless and, admittedly, wildly effective at times. The man plays without a conscience _ there's no reservation in him attacking the same weak link over and over again in the Rockets "offense." We saw this in the Western Conference Finals when Warriors center Kevon Looney effectively became the point guard's primary defender.
On Saturday, that weak link is no doubt going to be Cousins.
This is Boogie's biggest test yet in his comeback.
Cousins has never been a good defender, particularly in pick-and-roll. But his injury and the ever-increasing speed of the NBA has exacerbated these deficiencies since he started playing for the Warriors.
Golden State has used a few clever tactics to cover for Cousins' defensive shortcomings. Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala's defensive instincts have helped more than the box score would show. But frankly, that's taxing. And they won't be able to provide much help Saturday because Harden puts guys on an island and leaves them no place to hide.
Last May, the Warriors' best center in the regular season _ David West _ effectively was benched for the Rockets series despite his offensive contributions because of the exposure.
And if the regular season ended today, Cousins might face the same fate _ and not just if the Warriors face the Rockets. It's difficult to justify giving him major minutes in the postseason if this is the kind of defense he'll play because every team becomes ruthless in the playoffs.
Luckily, the Warriors have 24 games left in the regular season. They need to make Cousins' defense the team's No. 1 on-court focus for the final eight weeks.
The team's acknowledged top goal for the home stretch (besides overall health) is to play championship-level defense. But they cannot easily do it with Cousins playing this way _ the Warriors' starting lineup has a net rating of 1.1 in 10 games this season.
The rest of the NBA will see the tape of how Cousins fares Saturday. If he does well, the Warriors will be deemed unbeatable again. If he continues his current form, expect much more targeting down the stretch.
This game also looms large because Houston, after early-season struggles, has cemented its place in the playoff picture in large part because of Harden's offensive output. While their (his?) style of play doesn't seem sustainable for the postseason the Warriors and Rockets could well meet in the playoffs again. In other words, this could be a preview of April or May.
While the Warriors still have Looney, it would no doubt be nice if Golden State felt confident in playing Cousins 25 minutes to 30 minutes a game in such a series.
And if he doesn't look capable of doing that Saturday, perhaps the Dubs look to the buyout market for another center. Eight weeks is a long time, but only when you have reassurances that everything is going to be OK.
Ready or not, Cousins' play Saturday will make a big statement toward that situation.
