(OBSERVER photo by Antonio R. Harvey)
NORTH NATOMAS — There’s no doubt that the Sacramento Kings are a completely different team when DeMarcus Cousins is out with an injury or suspension. The team the Kings needed to be surfaced when Cousins returned to the lineup on Nov. 30 against the Dallas Mavericks.
Cousins had 31 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and one block in the Kings’ 112-98 victory over the Mavericks. He was also perfect from the free-throw line, making all 10 shots. Cousins is now in second place on the Kings’ career list for free throws made (1,798).
“I really wanted to come back early, but Pete (Youngman, Kings’ director of sports medicine) and them do what they do,” Cousins said following the game at Sleep Train Arena. “They didn’t want me to make the injury worse or where it would come back. That was their biggest issue. So, they decided it and I decided to make the return today. They wanted me 100 percent or close to 100 percent before I made a return.”
Rudy Gay had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Kings (7-12) while Rajon Rondo added 21 points, five assists, and three rebounds in less than 30 minutes against the team he played for last season. Rondo and Dallas coach Rick Carlisle had a big blow up before the playoffs started last season. Now Rondo is basically looking and playing like a different person in a Kings’ uniform.
“He was going to have a great year this season,” Carlisle said. “They put the right the right kind of team around him.”
Chandler Parson led the Mavericks with 14 points and three assists while Dirk Nowitzki had 13 points and seven rebounds for Dallas (10-8). Dallas has lost four of its last five games.
“What’s wrong with the offense?,” Carlisle said. “We’re not making shots right now. So we gotta stay the course, step into it aggressively, and do a better job defensively so we can get some easier shots.”
The Kings were down 44-34 midway in the second quarter before George Karl inserted Seth Curry in the lineup with Darren Collison and Rondo. The Kings pulled within 50-49 before ending the half trailing 58-54.
In the second half, the Kings continued with the small ball and outscored the Mavs 22-13 in the third quarter. After the game, Cousins had some jokingly things to say about the three-guard implementation.
“If it works, it works. Me personally, I am not a fan of it,” Cousin said. “But that’s a joke. That’s a joke. But it works. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”
The Kings will leave for Mexico City Dec. 1 to play Boston that game is followed by Houston (Dec. 5) and Oklahoma City (Dec. 6), both road games.
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By Antonio R. Harvey
OBSERVER Staff Writer