The only kind of winning Cousins has been exposed to was that in the Olympics last season. I figured that would help mature him a bit as a player and start bringing a different mindset to the game. That didn't happen and it's the same thing that continues to happen. He has to be the easiest all-star player to take out his game because smart teams know what's going to get him furious and what you then see is reckless abandon.
The loser mentality is all he knows...I can't blame the guy. He doesn't know what it takes to win in the NBA and all he can really go by is what his peers feed him and Rondo being his anger management counselor.
My hope before season was that Ben (who played well tonight) would take the next step. Marco would be a consistent threat and Willie could score 8-10 PPG off dunks and lobs and Boogie would not feel the burden to try to carry the offense.
But he seems to have it in him that dominating his man is the way to win. Too often he is turning a 5-on-5 game into a 1-on-1 game which turns into 1-on-2 and 1-on-3.
This works when he has a lane or a half step but not to the point of predictability we are witnessing. There is no savvy or patience just brute force and plowing the lane and begging for calls.
There was a time last year when Boogie was more patient. But in the urgency and frustration and turmoil of trying to turn the season around patience is out the window. His impatience exacerbates a bad situation. And tonight it cost us a win.