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Where DeMarcus Cousins Can Improve On the Floor

By Nathan Grubel

Feb 8, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) reacts to a call during the game against the Phoenix Suns during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Phoenix Suns 85-83. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) reacts to a call during the game against the Phoenix Suns during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Phoenix Suns 85-83. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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After being in the league for just a few short years, Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins found himself in the 2015 NBA All-Star Game Sunday night in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

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Even though Cousins didn’t get a chance to start, he still had a positive impact off the bench for the West squad, scoring 14 points and grabbing seven rebounds while hitting on six of seven shot attempts from the field. Cousins may not have put up eye-popping numbers, but keep in mind he did only get on the court for 18 minutes.

He was impressive when he was on the floor, not letting anyone outmuscle him down in the low post. Cousins even showed great effort getting to some offensive rebounds that led to some easy put-backs, and he got the chance to convert an and-one opportunity late in the game to help his team seal the game.

For only being on the court for less than 20 minutes, his numbers were actually pretty good for someone who was playing in his very first All-Star game. Cousins didn’t look frightened at all, and embraced his time under the big lights as he has done in Sacramento this season, where he has put up some staggering numbers for any big man.

On the season, Cousins is averaging 23.8 points per game on 46.5 percent shooting from the field to go along with 12.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Cousins’ numbers are highly impressive, as they do well in supporting some analysts’ claims that he is the most dominant big man in the league today. However, it’s how he gets those numbers that really puts the NBA on notice.

Cousins doesn’t just live off of dunks and put-backs on the glass. Cousins is a full-fledged scorer in the paint who has a variety of low-post moves to complement a midrange jump shot that he has cut down on, thereby upping his overall efficiency. Cousins has the touch from out to about 16 feet, but it’s when he doesn’t fall in love with the shot that it’s most effective.

Down low, there are very few big men that can hang with Cousins when it comes to guarding him. His 6-foot-11, 270-pound body is tough for anyone to deal with, so he generally has an easy time getting the positioning he wants and finishing at the rim. When he’s on his game, he even has the turn-around jumper in his bag of scoring tricks, something that really gives him an edge over a lot of other centers in the game.

Another skill that really sets Cousins apart from the other big men in the league is his ball-handling ability. Cousins can actually handle the ball well, and not just in terms of for someone his size. Whether it’s facing his man up in the half-court or going the distance on the fast break, Cousins is a legitimate threat with the ball in his hands at all times, making it even more difficult to stop him.

It’s one thing that Cousins is athletic enough to be able to run the floor and finish with the best of them, but the fact that he has the ball control to do it himself without needing someone to get the ball to him is truly astounding.

So with all of these skills that Cousins has, what is there for him to actually improve on? Honestly, it’s his attitude and consistent motor that’s holding him back.

That’s right, Cousins has almost all of the skills at age 24 to be the best center in the league. Sure, he could always have better anticipation on defense when it comes to blocking shots, but he has gotten better at that this season, and he will keep improving on that as he plays more games in the NBA. Cousins already has the size to be a problem in the paint on defense, as there are very few players that actually want to contend with him down low and attempt to score over him.

It’s his effort that gets in the way of him being great night in and night out.

Too many times during a game, Cousins takes plays off and doesn’t put forth the necessary effort to get back on defense or help a teammate cut off an opposing player going to the basket. This kind of lazy attitude can hold any player back from reaching their potential, and it has been a real problem for Cousins.

The other big thing that he has to continue to improve on is his anger that he tends to unleash too often during games. When Cousins gets in foul trouble or has a problem with a call made by a referee, he doesn’t just let it go and move on from it. Cousins tends to let it affect him for the rest of the game, which ultimately leads to more fouls and disruptions, sometimes even his removal from the game.

Cousins can be as good as he wants in terms of having a skill set, but if he can’t stay on the floor, then what good are his on-the-floor strengths?

It’s incredible that he really doesn’t have any holes in his actual performance, but it’s also sad that the thing that holds him back is his own mental state. If Cousins can learn to put himself second and the team first and truly become a competitor, then the results could be terrifying for the rest of the league.

*Statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.

Next: Is George Karl the Right Coach For DeMarcus Cousins?

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