Centar Golden State Warriorsa DeMarcus Cousins neće moći pomoći suigračima na putu prema trećem uzastopnom naslovu NBA prvaka, nakon što mu je u utorak ustanovljeno puknuće kvadricepsa lijeve noge koju je ozlijedio nakon tri i pol minute dvoboja protiv LA Clippersa, u kojem je njegova momčad poražena 135-131 nakon što je imala 31 koš prednosti sredinom treće četvrtine.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the Golden State Warriors falls to the crowd after injuring himself against the LA Clippers during Game Two of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on April 15, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
REVOLUCIJA NA KOŠARKAŠKOM TURNIRU: Do zlata sa šest, umjesto dosadašnjih osam odigranih utakmica
Cousins se Warriorsima priključio tijekom prošlog ljeta, kad se oporavljao od puknuća Ahilove tetive, ozljede koju je zaradio igrajući za New Orleans. Jedan od najskupljih centara u NBA ligi prihvatio je igrati za samo 5,33 milijuna dolara u ovoj sezoni, ne bi li se s Golden Stateom domogao šampionskog prstena te svojim igrama zaradio novi unosni ugovor.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the Golden State Warriors falls to the crowd after injuring himself against the LA Clippers during Game Two of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on April 15, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
Cousins je za Warriorse odigrao 30 utakmica u osnovnom dijelu sezone te ukupno 25 minuta u doigravanju, prije nego što mu je puknuo mišić natkoljenice.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the Golden State Warriors falls to the crowd after injuring himself against the LA Clippers during Game Two of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on April 15, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
Golden State je šokantnim porazom od Los Angeles Clippersa propustio prednost domaćeg terena. Sljedeće dvije utakmice prvog kruga doigravanja bit će odigrane u Staples Centeru, a prva je na rasporedu u noći s četvrtka na petak (4.30 sati) po srednjoeuropskom vremenu.