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GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 23, 2019

DeMarcus Cousins

Oakland, California

Q. (Inaudible)?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: We don't really have a game set right now. We're going to take it a day at a time, see where my body takes me, and we'll see what happens.

Q. How are you feeling so far?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I feel good. A lot better than I was, in a better place. I'm able to get up and down the court more. Maybe play a little competition basketball. I'm in a lot better place.

Q. How much have you been able to do in practice?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I went through the whole practice.

Q. (Inaudible)?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: It's been a wild year for me all season. I'm happy to be in this moment. If I get the opportunity to play, I'm going to take full advantage of it, leave it all on the floor, and we'll see what happens.

Q. During this process, did you ever lose hope that you would get back on the court?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: No, not at all.

Q. You look like you've been running really well and moving. Does it feel like you're getting stronger every day?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I feel better each and every day. That's my whole goal, to make sure I get better with each day that comes. Like I said, hopefully, that opportunity comes, and I'm able to get on the floor and help my teammates and try to help them win a championship. So we'll see what happens.

Q. Before you were activated in January, you were an integral part of the team. Do you feel you've been able to do that during this spell in the playoffs?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I've done my part. I've let my voice be heard in the areas that it needs to be heard, and I'm kind of doing my stuff in the background as always. You know, all I can do is what I'm able to do.

Q. What does it say about the team's depth, DeMarcus, that without you, without Kevin, that this group has continued to win games and do a lot of the little things?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: It's a special, special group. I feel like every guy in this gym has a will to win, and when the opportunity is presented to each player, they go and leave it all on the floor. You can't ask for more from a player.

Q. Any sense of what you're going to be able to contribute, how much you'll be able to do for the team?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: What's that mean?

Q. Well, you haven't played in a while. Do you think you'll be limited? Do you have any idea on the minutes?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: That's a question for Steve. I don't know.

Q. How helpful has Rick been throughout this process?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: Rick's been incredible. We've been working the shit out of him this year. He came in with a head full of black hair, and he's leaving with a head full of gray hair. He's been incredible through this process. He takes care of us like it's his own body. We're very appreciative of Rick and the work he puts in behind the scenes. He doesn't get nearly the amount of credit he deserves on the daily, but he's probably got the hardest job in this gym every day.

Q. DeMarcus, with all you've been through this year, missing so much time with the Achilles, to what extent did it make it easier handling this new injury versus harder because, hey, here we go again sort of thing?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I feel like that's what adversity does. It always builds you up to make you stronger for the next moment. That was one of my darkest moments dealing with the Achilles. I felt like I was in a more stronger mental capacity when it came to dealing with this one. Not to say it's been easy, but it's definitely -- it's a more comfortable situation to maneuver through.

Q. How is it being around this run and seeing what they've done in the playoffs? Has it helped you at all?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: It's inspiring, man. There's so much that's happened throughout the year for us. We've run into bumps and bruises throughout the season, but we always just find a way to collect ourselves and come out and get a win. It's truly inspiring.

Q. How much would it mean to you, both mentally and physically, to get back on the court going into the off-season and free agency? And having been back on the court and showing them what you can do again.
DeMARCUS COUSINS: Well, I think people know what I can do. It's just about me being healthy. Of course I want to be out there to help my team and play the game that I love to play, but I also just want to be healthy. So it's an opportunity to do that, and hopefully it happens for me.

Q. (Inaudible) here we go again, or did you know you'd be back at some point?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: Well, initially, I thought it was worse than what it was. It was obviously a panic, but once the diagnosis came out and I realized what it was, I had to gather myself after a couple of days of frustration and anger, sadness, all of the above, and tell myself to get back to work and just do it all over again. So that's what I did, and that's what I'm continuing to do.

Q. Andre was talking about when Kevin went down in Game 5 and your presence on the sideline and trying to keep everyone calm. What do you remember about that moment and just what you were trying to do?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: It was pretty weird. I mean, I didn't realize everybody in the gym watched me like go in the back. So when I came back, like people weren't even watching the game. I mean, from the analysts to probably every fan in the room just kind of stared at me just to see what my next reaction would be. And it was the same thing with the team.

So once I kind of realized that I didn't want to say anything out of the normal to, obviously, give you all anything to talk about or to put any ideas in the atmosphere, so I just kind of told the team, Focus on the game. K is okay, and just go out and get a win.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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