DeMarcus Cousins Sharpshooting: Fluke or For Real?
By Rafe Wong
Sacramento Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins is considered one of the NBA’s best big man in the game today, but after last night’s performance he might be on his way to being one of the best players period.
In the season opening loss against the Los Angeles Clippers, Cousins continued to show his pattern of dominance, as he scored 32 points and notched 13 rebounds. Fans expect Cousins to dominate by scoring in the paint, defending the interior, and grabbing the boards, but what came to a lot of fans’ surprise (including mine) was that Cousins ended the night making four out of his five shot attempts from beyond the arc.
Throughout the offseason it was rumored that Cousins has been working on his perimeter shooting, but it seemed too good to be true. It was definitely the case when Cousins first attempted to showcase his range in preseason where he shot just 1-12 from the perimeter.
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After that, it seemed those speculations were put to bed, but maybe in the eleven days that the Kings had off before the regular season, Cousins has been spending more time on his shot considering what he did last night.
Hopefully, this becomes a trend for Cousins. If Cousins is able to add a consistent three-point shot to his arsenal, he will become an ultimate offensive force around the league. Opponents already have struggled against the All-Star in the past, but having to face him as a threat from both the paint and perimeter just doesn’t seem fair.
Honestly, I don’t expect him to knock down three pointers on a gamely basis. I think Cousins will be a lot more consistent in making threes compared to his previous years (only making 11 total before), but I also think he will have his ups and downs when shooting from beyond the arc this season.
Although I don’t think Cousins will be a sharpshooter for the Kings this year, opponents will take notice of what happened last night, and will have to respect that part of his game going forward.
Overall, I already think that Cousins is the best big man in the NBA right now. But if he can stay consistent with his perimeter shooting, he has to belong in the talks for one of the best players, despite the position.
Whether his success shooting the ball mirrors itself going forward or not, he definitely made a loud statement last night that he is on his way to being the ultimate offensive player. One thing for sure, he defiently has come a long way compared to last summer with Team USA.
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