Sacramento Kings' 24 year old versatile Big Man DeMarcus Cousins has reportedly injured his knee during a practice game held in Chicago with the USA National Basketball team. Cousins will not be eligible to play for the team's scrimmage game against Brazil on August 16, reports Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
The tweet read, "Jerry Colangelo "wishful, hopeful" DeMarcus Cousins is fine and says he's out for Brazil game Saturday. Cousins walked out of @usabasketball practice slowly but without assistance after injuring his knee."
Nancy Armour of USA Today said that Cousins injury happened while hustling for a loose ball and New Orleans Pelicans Forward Anthony Davis stumbled across his right knee. It was the first scrimmage that the Team USA held after Paul George of the Indiana Pacers split his leg in a gruesome injury on August 1 during their Las Vegas training camp.
The team has yet to officially release a statement on Cousin's injury and whether or not he will be expected to play in the FIBA World Cup. On the other hand, it has been reported by SB Nation that his MRI shows no structural damage. With top NBA Power Forwards Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, and LaMarcus Aldridge declining their participation for Team USA, Paul George out with a broken leg, and Kevin Durant suddenly withdrawing his participation in the tournament, losing Cousins now could further weaken the national team's front court, which is said to be already lacking in size.
Steve Aschburner of NBA.com's Hang Time blog believes that USA's lack of size could mean trouble if they end up facing Spain and the towering Gasol brothers, Pau and Marc, in the crucial stages of the tournament. The Gasol brothers are one of the best in the world when it comes backing down opponents and scoring in the post and with their considerable skill and size, USA may have some problems containing them. Even Brazil's big men, Tiago Splitter, Nene, and Anderson Varejao, could give USA a lot of oncourt problems. While they are not as skilled as the Gasols, they are very physical and like to play rough and bang their bodies down low.
If DeMarcus Cousins injury will keep him out from the entire tournament, team USA will have to rely on young and learning Big Men in Andre Drummond and Mason Plumlee - who may eventually be cut from the team - and the high motor Kenneth Faried, who is undersized 6'8", to keep the Gasol brothers from wrecking havoc in the post.
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