Nuggets' DeMarcus Cousins records first 30-point game in four years as fill-in starter for Nikola Jokic

 

It's been a long basketball journey for DeMarcus Cousins, and he deserves credit for sticking with it.

One of the most productive players in the NBA before an Achilles injury in 2018, Cousins has been on five teams over the past four seasons as he's looked to reestablish himself in the league. While he's been unable to find consistent rotation minutes lately, he's more than capable of making a tremendous impact on the offensive end, as he proved in the Denver Nuggets' 116-101 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday.

Filling in as the starting center for reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, Cousins put up 31 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in 23 minutes. It was Cousins' first 30-point game since January 2018, when he scored 44 points as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans, shortly before his Achilles injury.

"I've been doing this a long time. I know how to play the game, obviously," Cousins said after his monster performance. "Just play ball. The rest will come to you."

One of the most skilled big men the league has ever seen, Cousins went to work on Houston's smaller, younger defenders early and often. He finished 10 for 14 from the field, 3 for 4 from 3-point range, 8 for 9 from the free-throw line and was a plus-10 for the game.

Cousins received a massive ovation from the Ball Arena crowd when he exited the game in the fourth quarter and later expressed his gratitude for his new fans.

"Since Day 1, they've just kind of gravitated to me," Cousins said of Nuggets fans after the game. "I'm extremely grateful for it, and I'm gonna come out here and play my butt off every night for them."

The Nuggets are now 11-1 when Cousins plays, usually backing up Jokic for 10-to-15 minutes per game. After originally joining Denver on a 10-day contract following a stint with the Milwaukee Bucks, Cousins was signed for the remainder of the season in late February. He could be a valuable piece in the postseason when matchups dictate his skill set, as the Nuggets await the potential return of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.

"We've just gotta keep growing as a team," Cousins said. "Keep building winning habits, lose the bad habits that we do have, come out and get off to strong starts like we did tonight, and just keep growing as a team."