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NBA Player Power Rankings: MVP Candidates Continue To Clash

By Maxwell Ogden

January 18, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) dribbles the basketball against Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 121-100. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 18, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) dribbles the basketball against Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 121-100. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 3, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Kings won 120-113. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Kings won 120-113. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

15. DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings

Position: Center
Age: 26 (8/13/1990)
Experience: 7th Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .450/.374/.777
2016-17 Season Averages: 34.7 MPG, 28.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2.0 ORPG, 4.4 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.4 SPG, 1.8 3PM

DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings were dealt a crushing blow on Wednesday, Jan. 18. With the postseason within reach, the Kings lost second-leading scorer Rudy Gay to a non-contact lower leg injury.

Unfortunately for the Kings, the worst case scenario came to fruition when it was discovered that Gay tore his left achilles tendon.

With Gay undoubtedly sidelined for the rest of the 2016-17 NBA regular season, Sacramento’s postseason odds have suffered. Gay finishes the year with averages of 18.7 points and 6.3 rebounds on a slash line of .455/.372/.855.

Losing Gay will inevitably damage the Kings’ offense in the sense that there isn’t another player on the roster who can complement Cousins by creating their own offense.

Cousins and the Kings are 16-25, which is underwhelming, but still just 1.5 games back of the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. If Sacramento is going to defy the odds and make the playoffs, then Cousins will need to play at an even higher level.

That’s a tall task for a player who’s already looked the part of an All-NBA player during the 2016-17 regular season.