The Sports Xchange
Oct 27, 2017
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- In case anyone forgot, DeMarcus Cousins offered his old team and its fans another glimpse of what they no longer have.
The Pelicans big man, in his first game back in the city where he spent the first 6 1/2 seasons of his career, scored 41 points, grabbed 23 rebounds and buried a key 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter to lift New Orleans to a 114-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.
Cousins' launched a 3-pointer from the right-wing arc to put the Pelicans ahead to stay, then added a dunk to spur a 9-0 run that closed the contest.
New Orleans (2-3) won without forward Anthony Davis, who sat out the contest with a bruised right knee.
Willie Cauley-Stein's layup off a dish from rookie guard De'Aaron Fox put Sacramento ahead 106-105 before Cousins took over down the stretch.
Cousins, who averaged 21.1 points in 470 games for the Kings, shot 14 of 25, including 3 of 5 on 3-point attempts, and made 10 of 12 free throws. He also came within one of his career for rebounds.
Jrue Holiday added 20 points and seven assists for the Pelicans, and Jameer Nelson contributed 18 points off the bench.
Fox scored 14 points to pace the Kings, who received points from all 11 players who suited up. Sacramento jumped out to a 17-4 lead to begin the game and led by 75-56 after scoring the first five points of the second half.
Zach Randolph finished with 13 points, Cauley-Stein and Buddy Hield added 12, and Skal Labissiere scored 11 for Sacramento (1-4).
E'Twuan Moore added 12 points for New Orleans.
NOTES: New Orleans F Anthony Davis did not make it through the first three weeks of the regular season without missing at least one game for the third straight season. Davis has averaged 24.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in his four games this season, totals that include only five minutes of action before he injured his left knee Tuesday against Portland. ... C Zach Randolph played his first home game for the Kings after sitting out the season opener last week. He received a hearty ovation. Randolph signed with Sacramento as a free agent after seven seasons in Memphis. ... New Orleans G Darius Miller made his first NBA start since Nov. 25, 2014, and he played six scoreless minutes. He spent two seasons playing overseas. ... The Kings scored 40 points in the opening quarter for the first time since November 2015 against the Indiana Pacers.