Controversial DeMarcus Cousins comes to face Wolves at Target Center

One of the most compelling – and, perhaps, controversial – players in the league will be at Target Center tonight when the Wolves host the Sacramento Kings.

Kings forward/center DeMarcus Cousins comes in averaging 29.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He also comes to the Twin Cities with a recent string of events that has drawn national comparison.

On Dec. 12 he directed an outburst at a Sacramento Bee columnist over a column he had written that included a reference to his brother. (warning: explicit language)

In his first game after that outburst – for which he was fined by the Kings – Cousins scored 55 points in a game in which he was ejected, and then unejected, in the game's closing moments. With the Kings and Portland tied at 119 late, Cousins scored and was fouled. He turned towards the Portland bench and was ejected when the officials thought he had thrown his mouthpiece. After meeting, it was decided the mouthpiece came out accidentally, and Cousins was brought back from the locker room to make his free throw in the Kings' eventual victory.

Most recently, advance copies of former coach George Karl has been making the rounds. In it Karl criticizes many of his former players, including Cousins, whom he called disrespectful.

Cousins didn't comment on any of that at shootaround today.

Through it all, the Kings have warmed up, winning two straight and four of six entering tonight's game.

On the purely basketball side, Cousins and Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau have a definite mutual admiration society going. Cousins and Thibodeau worked together at Team USA twice, including the Rio Olympics. It appears they made an impression on each other.

"He's great," Thibodeau said. "You can only speak on your own experience with someone. And with Team USA he was phenomenal. We won two gold medals. And he was a big part of both of those teams. He played great for us, whatever we asked him to do. Start, come off the bench, score, play defense, rebound, he did it all.''

Cousins, meanwhile, called Thibodeau one of the best coaches in the NBA.

"I think he brings the best out of you,'' he said. "He expects the best, and nothing short of it.''

Having played for Thibs, Cousins predicted great things for the Wolves.

Meanwhile, Joerger, a native of Staples, was pretty thrilled to be on the road in Minnesota at this time of year.

The Kings played in Utah Wednesday night, then immediately chartered to Minneapolis after the game. That allowed Joerger to spent Thursday with his family. He has two brothers living in the area, and his parents came down for the gathering.

"It was fun,'' he said.