DeMarcus Cousins Suffers Injury, Warriors Reportedly Fear It’s a Torn Quad

Reinhold Matay/Associated Press

Golden State Warriors star DeMarcus Cousins suffered a non-contact injury on Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, there is “significant concern” Cousins tore his left quad, but the Warriors hope it’s just strained, adding he will have an MRI on his quad Tuesday.

Cousins was chasing after a loose ball when he fell to the court and immediately grabbed his left leg.

He has had his share of ups and downs in his first season with the Warriors. The four-time All-Star missed the first 45 games while continuing to rehab from a torn Achilles he suffered in January 2018.

In 30 regular-season games, Cousins averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He’s spent much of the year working his way back into game shape after missing so much time, and his three-point percentage (27.4) is his worst since the 2014-15 season.

The Warriors have been able to endure without Cousins for most of this season on the strength of their starting lineup. Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have the team poised to make another deep playoff run.

Cousins’ size adds a missing element for the Warriors as they pursue their third straight NBA title. Head coach Steve Kerr has to exercise caution to ensure his star center is healthy for the remainder of the postseason.