The Los Angeles Lakers were feeling good after last night’s victory over the Charlotte Hornets to move to 2-1 and a big reason why was former Hornets big man Dwight Howard. Howard had 16 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in Sunday’s win but before that game, a different reserve became a story, no matter how unbelievable that story may seem.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel told reporters on Sunday night that the team had not “closed the door” on a potential return by injured center DeMarcus Cousins at some point during the playoffs, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“We’ve not closed the door on that,” Vogel said Sunday before the Lakers played the Charlotte Hornets. “We’ll just — we’re going to be a wait and see. With these injuries that are long rehabs, you have to see and take it kind of month to month and see where he’s at. But we’ve not closed the door on a possible return for him.”
Yeah, while I appreciate Vogel’s optimism, only every other ACL recovery in basketball history seems to disagree with said optimism. Cousins’ former Golden State Warriors teammate Klay Thompson suffered a torn ACL over two months before Cousins suffered his and Thompson is out for the season.
Cousins did recover quite quickly after suffering a torn quad in the NBA playoffs last season but an ACL recovery by the postseason, seems highly unlikely.
The Lakers have kept Cousins around the team as he continues to rehabilitate his injury. Cousins is also facing a misdemeanor domestic violence charge that was filed against him in August after he allegedly threatened an ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of his son.
