#5 & Fodder for Deng?

[Glenn]

I've always wondered about this and that is the Cousins' effect. I am not sayin Cousins is an elite defender by any means. I AM saying that he brings a level of competitiveness to the team that normally we see on defense. Would a guy like Cousins help the defense by just being who he is? I hope that's understandable. I'm not talking technique or anything of the sort. I am talking about the never ending aggressiveness of Cousins and what effect that has on everybody. He is naturally a leader because he is so damn big and also reasonably verbal. He sure is likeable. It was my observation that Daly became a better player with Cousins at his side. That happened with JT also. If my point doesn't make sense, it may not a good point, unfortunately.

 

[Boogie-havoc]

I'm sorry, but seeing Cousins dogging it on defense for most of last year, I don't see what level of competitiveness he brings defensively.

More so then on offense, defensively Cousins is extremely moody.
He can be good when he wants to (Although he still gambles on steals and guard with his hands and not his feet a TON) - but when he doesn't, when he tries to stay out of fouling, and when he isn't too concerned/committed defensively (happened almost every game after the All-Star break last year) - not moving his feet, being late on rotations/not understanding them - he can be just flat out terrible and borderline cancer defensively.

I expect with better conditioning and a proper off\pre season that he'll really make strides playing CONSISTENT defense - cause for me last year, taking away the charges he drew - he was really a letdown defensively.

 

[The_Jamal]

I'm sorry, but seeing Cousins dogging it on defense for most of last year, I don't see what level of competitiveness he brings defensively.

More so then on offense, defensively Cousins is extremely moody.
He can be good when he wants to (Although he still gambles on steals and guard with his hands and not his feet a TON) - but when he doesn't, when he tries to stay out of fouling, and when he isn't too concerned/committed defensively (happened almost every game after the All-Star break last year) - not moving his feet, being late on rotations/not understanding them - he can be just flat out terrible and borderline cancer defensively.

I expect with better conditioning and a proper off\pre season that he'll really make strides playing CONSISTENT defense - cause for me last year, taking away the charges he drew - he was really a letdown defensively.

Agreed, and the same can be said for Reke as well. If we ever want to 1. Be a good defensive team and 2. Be a championship contender someday, those guys are going to have to learn how to at least become average defenders who work their butts off on every play on defense. There isn't a franchise cornerstone type player in this league who isn't at least competent on the defensive end