Cousins Working His Butt Off (New poll)
- Thread starter rainmaker
- Start date
So here's the big issue with Cuz. I have no problem with him playing PF. In fact, I think he'd be much better there offensively. But he has to show he can defend the position as well. Ibaka, Sanders, Favors are pretty much the only PF's in the NBA who can defend worth a damn. The C position is filled with much more defensive talent and would be much easier to find one available than at PF.
Hence the need for an agile, defensive center. Really, Cousins shouldn't have problems with most PFs, stretch 4s would be an issue, but he'd pound them on his end. That's where someone like Mbah A Moute helps on the perimeter. If our backcourt is stronger defensively, he won't have to try and clean up their mess, which is not his strong suit anyway. Seems like many guards got a free pass into the lane last year, breaking everything down.
I don't think he's as much a liability as many think. I think Malone will help.
I don't think he's as much a liability as many think. I think Malone will help.
Last edited:
Cousins can't guard the four. He'd get killed against stretch 4s, probably foul out in the first half or sit 80% of the game on the sidelines. Until the Kings can prove they can get Cousins the ball in the right place down low on a regular basis I think the stretch 4 fouls him out much sooner than the other way around. Also, it's a lot easier to double Cousins down low than a 4 on the wing. Heck, Cousins has a hard time staying in the game playing against centers, much less stretch 4s. The only way it works is if the guy you play at center can guard the stretch 4, and that seems to be a rare commodity.
By the way, if Malone is going to demand much more defense from Cousins, it is going to be interesting to see if Cousins is going to be able to keep from compiling fouls at a fantastic rate while playing such defense. There could be a fairly long learning curve in which Cousins gets used to playing high effort D like Malone wants while simultaneously learning how to do it with not fouling out. IMO, part of the reason behind the Cousins' "laziness" on D last year was his frustration with accumulating fouls at a high rate. He might have thought it's just easier to stay in the game if he doesn't play D altogether. And speaking of frustration, we all know that's the source of his acting out. If high defensive effort leads to more fouls, which leads to more frustration, that could be Cousins' main challenge early in the season.
By the way, if Malone is going to demand much more defense from Cousins, it is going to be interesting to see if Cousins is going to be able to keep from compiling fouls at a fantastic rate while playing such defense. There could be a fairly long learning curve in which Cousins gets used to playing high effort D like Malone wants while simultaneously learning how to do it with not fouling out. IMO, part of the reason behind the Cousins' "laziness" on D last year was his frustration with accumulating fouls at a high rate. He might have thought it's just easier to stay in the game if he doesn't play D altogether. And speaking of frustration, we all know that's the source of his acting out. If high defensive effort leads to more fouls, which leads to more frustration, that could be Cousins' main challenge early in the season.
i was thinking the same thing...
in my opinion, the demarcus cousins riddle isn't hard to solve. on offense, cousins is a versatile first option who is plenty capable of playing either the 5 or the 4, depending on coach's preference. but he's limited, defensively, so the kings need to acquire a starting-quality rim protector with at least modest mobility, a keon clark-type, a samuel dalembert-type, a player who can swing up to 5 or down to 4 defensively, depending on the matchups...
in my opinion, the demarcus cousins riddle isn't hard to solve. on offense, cousins is a versatile first option who is plenty capable of playing either the 5 or the 4, depending on coach's preference. but he's limited, defensively, so the kings need to acquire a starting-quality rim protector with at least modest mobility, a keon clark-type, a samuel dalembert-type, a player who can swing up to 5 or down to 4 defensively, depending on the matchups...
Or Indiana, for that matter? Or Chicago? Or Denver? Or San Antonio? Because only one of those five teams started a PF that could really be said to be good, defensively, and yet they all managed to avoid fouling out against stretch 4's... Get Cousins a defensive anchor to handle his light work, and a lot of those foul problems go away.
Cousins on the potential Shaq mentoring:
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/25/5594123/kings-notes-cousins-is-still-waiting.html
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/25/5594123/kings-notes-cousins-is-still-waiting.html
The very definition of a stretch four is a guy that stretches the floor with his outside shooting. Much easier to guard a guy who spots up than posts up. Ryan Anderson might get a few extra looks from the 3 point line if Cousins is guarding him and playing off to help rebound or just because he doesn't want to close out hard. Fine. I think the overwhelming mismatch on the other end more than makes up for it.
Who exactly are these "stretch" fours that are "much quicker" than DeMarcus and who would light him up?
Who exactly are these "stretch" fours that are "much quicker" than DeMarcus and who would light him up?
It shouldn't be an issue if the perimeter d is solid. Scheme will be important, because we still lack the appropriate personnel in several areas, so guard play will need to improve. The issue of a stretch 4 though, is minor compared to everything else. Mbah A Moute is a step in the right direction, as he could switch if necessary. I don't know of anyone playing an open post offense in the NBA, so I think we'll survive.
http://www.hoopsworld.com/ranking-the-2012-13-nba-power-forwards
The question is not what pf Cousins could not guard. It's what pf he could guard. There are about 4 on that list that he could guard because their games are primarily inside. The rest? He'd be a fish out of water. Just in one aspect - beating Cousins down the floor for easy baskets - the names on that list could have a field day. Cousins is going to be played at center this year. You can bank on it. Westphal did it. Smart did it. And now Malone is going to do it. It's a waste of time to spend more time on the subject.
The question is not what pf Cousins could not guard. It's what pf he could guard. There are about 4 on that list that he could guard because their games are primarily inside. The rest? He'd be a fish out of water. Just in one aspect - beating Cousins down the floor for easy baskets - the names on that list could have a field day. Cousins is going to be played at center this year. You can bank on it. Westphal did it. Smart did it. And now Malone is going to do it. It's a waste of time to spend more time on the subject.
Agree to disagree. Cousins has guarded Blake Griffin, Zach Randolph and Tim Duncan and done just fine relative to the normal numbers those guys put up. Serge Ibaka, LeMarcus Aldridge and Chris Bosh wouldn't worry me much. None are really outside shooters per se and they'd have to guard Cousins on the other end. David Lee is a tough matchup as he would knock down outside shots and wear DMC out in transition. But again, he'd face just as much of a mismatch or more trying to guard DeMarcus on offense. Dirk in his prime would be about the worst matchup for Cousins as a PF. But other than having to hustle in transition none of these guys have nearly as big a quickness advantage over DMC as you seem to think they do. For his size Cousins has VERY good lateral quickness. Conditioning will continue to be an issue until it isn't, but I simply don't see him being as big a liability defensively at the PF as you.