Steve Kerr brought Golden State Warriors fans some good news regarding two injured centers to offset the sting of Saturday's Game 3 loss.
The Warriors head coach said Sunday that Damian Jones, who has been out since early December with a torn pectoral muscle, could be given the green light for contact practices next week, which would set the stage for a possible postseason return. Unprompted, Kerr then added that fellow injured center DeMarcus Cousins could also see the floor again for Golden State before the playoffs are over.
"It's a possibility that (Jones) could be back," Kerr said Sunday, per Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. "And same with DeMarcus. He's coming along pretty well, so it's kind of wait and see."
Cousins was expected to miss the rest of the postseason after tearing his left quad while chasing a loose ball in Game 2 of the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers. No official timetable was provided, but Kerr said last month that he was "leaving the door open" for the 28-year-old to make what he perceived to be a highly unlikely return.
Jones was Golden State's starting center to open the campaign until he tore his pectoral muscle against the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 1. The 23-year-old was averaging 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds before going down with the ailment.
The Warriors currently hold a 2-1 series lead over the Houston Rockets with Game 4 slated for Monday.
