OAKLAND, Calif. — Center DeMarcus Cousins is unlikely to return this postseason for the Golden State Warriors yet won’t require surgery on his torn left quadriceps muscle.

Coach Steve Kerr has named Andrew Bogut as his starter in place of Cousins for Game 3 Thursday night of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Playing in just his second career postseason game after a nine-year wait, the 28-year-old Cousins went down in the first quarter of a 135-131 Game 2 loss Monday night. He fell in front of the Golden State bench after swiping a ball from Patrick Beverley in the back court. Cousins immediately grabbed at his left quad then hobbled to the locker room at the 8:09 mark.

The tear was revealed by an MRI exam Tuesday. The big man returned in January from a nearly yearlong absence while recovering from surgery for a torn left Achilles tendon.

“I’m just crushed for DeMarcus,” Kerr said.