Frank Vogel Says DeMarcus Cousins Could Return in Time for Lakers' Playoff Run

With a 41-12 record at the All-Star break, the Los Angeles Lakers are already one of the most dominant teams in the league right now, but they could get even better come the playoffs.

Head coach Frank Vogel said Saturday that injured star big man DeMarcus Cousins is progressing well enough that he might return just in time for the postseason.

Cousins tore his ACL back in August, the latest in a series of brutal injuries that have kept him from seeing much time on the court these last couple years. He's played in just 78 total games since the start of the 2017-18 campaign.

Even in a limited role, he'd be a welcome addition to a team already threatening to win it all. Should he return in time, he'd be a threat to displace Dwight Howard on the crunch time depth chart at center.

It would be scary for any team to go up a Lakers team featuring a terrible trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Boogie, especially considering the familiarity that already exists between himself and Davis, his former New Orleans Pelicans teammate.

The Lakers are in great shape heading into the second half of the season, and things are already looking up for their impending playoff run.