Cousins drops 41-23-6 to lead Pelicans to victory in return to Sacramento

DeMarcus Cousins returned to Sacramento on Thursday to remind Kings fans of what they've lost.

Cousins played like a man possessed in his long-awaited return, to record 41 points, 23 rebounds, and six assists to lead his New Orleans Pelicans to a thrilling 114-106 victory at the Golden 1 Center.

It was a relentless performance for Cousins, who logged 44 exhausting minutes in the absence of an injured Anthony Davis. Cousins showed great maturity and poise - traits that were often missing during his Kings tenure - as his persistence helped the Pelicans overcome a 17-point deficit to eventually secure the road win.

Emotions ran high as Cousins returned to the franchise that drafted him back in 2010 before trading him at last year's deadline. Kings fans gave Cousins a warm ovation when his name was announced before the game but mostly booed him throughout as he plundered their defense. Cousins was seemingly unbothered but admitted after the game that he felt nervous right up until tipoff.

Whatever nerves he felt definitely did not translate to the game itself. The Kings just simply had nobody who could match Cousins' unique blend of size and skill. Willie Cauley-Stein had the length to contest but he was far too weak to contain Cousins in the paint, while backup center Kosta Koufos was too slow to cut off Cousins' drives from the perimeter.

Cousins eventually wore down his former franchise. He scored 14 points in the final quarter, shooting eight freebies while also snagging eight rebounds. He iced the game with a pick-and-pop three, then completed a sweet give-and-go with Jameer Nelson for the final dagger.