Game 2 of the 2019 NBA Finals was DeMarcus Cousins' first career Finals start.
After playing just eight minutes in Game 1, Cousins didn't just start but went on to play 28 minutes after Kevon Looney suffered a left chest contusion in the first quarter and never returned.
In his time on the court, Boogie did a little bit of everything and finished with a game-high +12 (tied with Steph Curry and Draymond Green).
👻 @boogiecousins sparks the @warriors with 11 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST in his first start of the series! #StrengthInNumbers #NBAFinals
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2019
Game 3: Wednesday (6/5), 9:00pm/et, ABC & Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/qRB7546ywT
All of Cousins' numbers from Game 2 were playoff and Finals career-highs.
"It feels great," Cousins said of his Game 2 performance.
"I've leaned on my teammates throughout this moment and throughout this whole process and this was an incredible moment for me. But I'm not satisfied and I'm looking forward to Game 3."
It's been a tough road for Cousins to get to this point after suffering a ruptured Achilles in 2018. After working his way back and appearing in 30 regular season games, Cousins then injured his quad in his second career playoff game in the Warriors' first-round series against the Clippers, making a surprise comeback in Game 1 of the Finals.
"This is what I've worked for my entire career, to be on this stage, to have this opportunity to play for something," Cousins added.
"But once they told me I had a chance, a slight chance, of being able to return, it basically was up to me and the work and the time I put in behind the injury, it was up to me. So I put the work in and the time in and with God's grace I'm able to be out here and play the game that I love."
Putting up numbers across the board, Cousins was among four Warriors players to do so in Game 2.
Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, DeMarcus Cousins, and Andre Iguodala became the first quartet of teammates with at least 5 PTS, 5 REB and 5 AST in a #NBAFinals game since New York's Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere and Dick Barnett in 1970. @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/UygyTtD2dW
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) June 3, 2019
"He was great. We came in thinking, all right, he can maybe play 20 minutes and he gave us almost 28," coach Steve Kerr said post-game.
"But he was fantastic and we needed everything he gave out there, his rebounding, his toughness, his physical presence, getting the ball in the paint, and just playing big, like he does. We needed all of that. So I thought he was fantastic."
The series now shifts to Oakland where Cousins and the Warriors will look to capitalise in Games 3 & 4 on the home court advantage they have stolen with the Game 2 win.
For the full Finals' TV schedule, click here.
