Celtics stick up for each other in shoving match with hot-headed DeMarcus Cousins
DeMarcus Cousins is about as hot-headed as it gets in the NBA. So it’s no surprise that he shoved multiple Celtics – and a good sign for the C’s as a team.
March 5, 2019; Oakland, CA: Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins pushes Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
Kyle Terada-USA TODAYBy Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Celtics may have gotten the spark they needed for the rest of the season in a dominating 128-95 win over the Golden State Warriors. And a positive sign for the team showed up when they tangled with one of the NBA's biggest hotheads.
Watch above for the full incident with Warriors big man DeMarcus Cousins and a few different Celtics that occurred in the fourth quarter, with Golden State down by 28 points at the time. First Cousins draws a foul from Aron Baynes, who appears to flop in a foul-draw attempt of his own. Cousins jaws at Baynes while he's down, and that's when Jayson Tatum stepped in to move him away from his teammate. Cousins quickly shoved back, then threw another little push at Terry Rozier after the Celtics guard stepped in himself.
Obviously there wasn't much there in terms of violence or intensity. It's a typical NBA "fight" complete with half-assed shoves and a lot of backpedaling. And it's no shock that it started with Cousins, who has built up a reputation as a loose cannon and one of the league's most immature players. The Celtics and millions of others have seen this face before:
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAYNov 24, 2017; Phoenix, AZ: New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins reacts against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Cousins finished with just 10 points while shooting 4-for-12 from the field. So you can sort of understand his frustration. More importantly, it was a glimpse at a Celtics team that's had its share of chemistry issues this season sticking up for each other. For an underachieving squad that was coming off a "toxic" losing streak, that was an encouraging sign. Oh, and the basketball was good too.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
