It’s not official yet, and as absurd as it sounds, seems that this will be Coach K’s decision. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst sent out a tweet last night that rocked the Big Blue Nation to its knees.
2 things from Team USA: post practice games between Durant/Harden/George are epic; Mason Plumlee likely to make team over DeMarcus Cousins
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) July 31, 2014
This makes absolutely no sense on any level from a basketball standpoint.
Cousins is one of the best big men in the game while Plumlee was a role-playing rookie with the New Jersey Nets. A quick look at the numbers affirms this. Cousins started all 71 games he played this year and averaged 22.4 points, 11.7 boards, and shot a career best 49.6%. Plumlee averaged 18.4 minutes and started just 22 games and averaged 7.4 points and 4.4 boards. Plumlee did shoot 65.9% from the field but even that perceived advantage is that Cousins was the better FT shooter at 72.6% compared to Plumlee’s 62.6%.
On the basketball skills area, once again, this makes no sense. There are 20 players in the Team USA Camp right now and only six bigs with Plumlee. Considering that the US may have to face two Gasols and Serge Ibaka on their home court when this team goes to Span, DeMarcus Cousins over Plumlee seems to be a no brainer.
And so we go once again to the maturity angle on Cousins.
DeMarcus Cousins is a beast, but ultimately, the staff has to be able to trust him, both in regard to dealing with officials and in making decisions with the ball. During a scrimmage on Tuesday, Cousins punched a wall pad out of frustration as the ball went the other way in transition. It was something that would go mostly unnoticed in an NBA game, but that stuff registers with the staff. He has great skills, but USA bigs don’t need to play one-on-one.
So on one hand you have a wall puncher versus a floor slapper? Decision still makes no valid basketball sense.