DeMarcus Cousins suffered a grueling ruptured achilles injury last Friday when the New Orleans Pelicans took on the Houston Rockets. The All-star's injury could have happened as a result of a taxing January.

The 275-pound agile center got injured last Friday. Cousins was shooting a second attempt at the free throw line, and as the free throw shot clanked off the rim, Cousins went for the rebound and fell awkwardly with his left foot.

A ruptured achilles tendon does not usually happen instantaneously. Most of the time, achilles tendinitis comes first. While the achilles tendinitis is not as severe, it brittles the achilles tendon, which can then lead to a rupture. Tendinitis in this area can happen by overworking the tendons.

The injury usually happens in a non-contact manner as well. Infamous cases of ruptured achilles tendon injuries were Kobe Bryant's and Elton Brand's. Cousins' ex Sacramento Kings teammate Rudy Gay was also one of the latest players to suffer it, incurring the injury a season ago. All three aforementioned players are known to play big minutes in their careers.

It should be noted that Cousins just recently had the most taxing month of his career this January. While used to playing big minutes as a superstar, the big man was pushing himself in uncharted territory throughout the first month of the year.

For example, Cousins logged in a grand total of 52 minutes in the Pelicans' double overtime win against the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 22. Since Jan. 10 until his last full game against the Charlotte Hornets, the big man averaged a whopping 40 minutes a game.

Even worse, both Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry and the Pelicans organization has a history of injured players under their supervision. Gentry was the head coach in the injury-riddled years of retired Phoenix Suns stars Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire.

The Pelicans meanwhile, hired a head doctor that was recently fired from another sports organization. Pelicans players such as Jrue Holiday and superstar Anthony Davis are known to be injury-prone since arriving in New Orleans.

The same can be said for ex-Pelicans players Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, and Tyreke Evans, all who are now enjoying much healthier seasons in different teams out west. As for Cousins, it remains to be seen how well he will respond to treatment.