NBA bound Sydney Kings star Xavier Cooks has declared himself a certain starter for Friday’s crucial Game 3 grand final clash, despite conceding his “beat up” body is struggling with a corked thigh and an ankle injury.
Cooks declaration comes as fellow Kings star – guard Derrick Walton Jr – is also expected to put aside cramping in his thigh to take on the New Zealand Breakers.
It’s a double boost for Sydney, who still must defy history to win this year’s championship series after dropping Game 1.
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Only four teams in NBL history have won the championship series after losing the opening game.
Cooks, though, is determined to push through the pain in a bid to claim back-to-back championships with the Kings.
“I’m going to give it a crack – no matter what, I’ll give it a crack,” said Cooks, who this week signed a two-year NBA deal with the Washington Wizards, which starts after this season’s NBL championship series.
“It’s more the cork, but it’s a mixture of everything. The ankle is swelling up on international flights, but with the cork I got hit twice in the same spot during Game 1 and I just couldn’t get going.
“On Sunday I tried to get warm to get going, but it just didn’t feel safe. My knee then started to blow up, and yeah, it was ugly.
“I tried to play, and the coach kept pulling me out because he didn’t want any further injuries going forward.
“But these four days off will be great. Obviously, my body is feeling pretty beat up, but it’s the grand final and I’ll try and get through it.”
Cooks is feeling confident heading into Game 3 on Friday night after watching the Kings beat the Breakers in Auckland to level the series at 1-all.
This year’s MVP labelled the victory the “gutsiest performance he has ever seen”, but he was especially elated with his side’s defence to restrict the Breakers to just 74 points.
Sydney adopted a “Dogs on a ball” defensive mindset to win last season’s championship and Cooks wants the Kings to bring the ruthless mindset back.
“For a good part of the year we were the best defensive side and we took pride in that, but in the last few months we’ve shifted away from that,” he said.
“We were winning games through our offensive ability and understanding of game plans.
“So, it was good to have a complete 40-minute defensive performance at an elite level in Game 2 because that is what it takes to win games in the playoffs.”
With more than 13,000 tickets already sold, Sydney is expecting its biggest crowd of the season when they host the Breakers in game three of the NBL23 championship series on Friday.
NBL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GAME 3 (Series tied at 1-all)
Friday, March 10:
Sydney Kings vs New Zealand Breakers at Qudos Bank Arena from 7.30pm (AEDT) and Live on ESPN and Kayo
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