Meyers Leonard on Tuesday tried to pour water on the simmering coals that is the complicated and volatile backstory of his matchup against Sacramento big man DeMarcus Cousins.
“I don’t have a history with him,’’ Leonard said before a long pause. “That’s what everybody makes it out to be, but it’s not a thing.’’
Later, after he was reminded that both have pushed each other during a game in a manner that drew technical fouls on each player …. and when reminded that Leonard once accused Cousins of dirty play for stepping under his jump shot, causing Leonard to sprain his ankle … and when reminded of last week’s infamous tirade by Cousins directed at Leonard on the Blazers’ bench … Leonard changed his tune.
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“It’s not a long history, I would say,’’ Leonard said. “Things have happened, clearly. I don’t know what it is about me that he doesn’t like, but honestly, there’s nothing I can do about that. It’s my job to go out there and compete and make it hard on him.’’
Leonard’s next test will come Wednesday at the Moda Center when the resurgent Kings (14-17) play their final game against the slumping Blazers (13-20), in a game that has a different tenor because of the direction both teams are headed and because of what happened in the last meeting eight days prior, a 126-121 Kings’ victory when Cousins had 55 points.
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