Both compelling and controversial, DeMarcus Cousins came to the Target Center near the end of one of the stranger months of his career so far.
Basketball-wise, Sacramento's forward/center came into Friday's game with the Wolves at Target Center averaging 29.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Friday night the former Kentucky star had 32 points with seven rebounds, seven assists, four steals and two blocks.
"There's not much he can't do,'' Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau said.
And includes courting some controversy. On Dec. 12 he directed an outburst at a Sacramento Bee columnist over a piece he had written that included a reference to Cousins' brother. He was fined for the outburst.
In his first game after that story broke, Cousins scored 55 points in a game in which he was ejected, and then un-ejected, in the game's closing moments. The Kings and Portland were tied at 119 late when Cousins scored and was fouled. He turned toward the Portland bench as if to taunt it, then was ejected when officials thought he had thrown his mouthpiece at the bench. After a discussion, the refs rescinded the ejection, saying the mouthpiece came out accidentally. Cousins re-entered the arena bowl, sans his customary headband, and made the free throw in a game the Kings ultimately won.
More? Advance copies of George Karl's book have been making the rounds. In it Karl criticizes many of his former players, including Cousins.
Through it all, the Kings have warmed up, having won two straight and four out of six entering Friday's game.
