NEW ORLEANS — DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Pelicans 112-103 on Tuesday night in a game that saw guard Stephen Curry leave with a mild foot sprain.
The Warriors announced that Curry, who played the first nine minutes of the game, was held out the rest of the night as a precaution.
Golden State, which already had clinched the top playoff seed in the Western Conference, also played without several other prominent players, including forward Kevin Durant, who was listed out with an illness, and guard Klay Thompson, who was given an opportunity to rest his sore right knee.
The game also likely marked the end of the Anthony Davis era in New Orleans — and unceremoniously so. The disgruntled All-Star, who missed his seventh straight game with what the team has officially listed as back spasms, wore a T-shirt with the famous Looney Toons sign off, “That’s All Folks,” written across the chest. As he walked down the tunnel toward the locker room after the game, he gave one fan a high-five.
Davis is under contract through next season, but has asked to be traded and is expected to be this offseason.
When the game ended, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry described Davis as “a great kid” who “got some bad advice,” referring to Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, who also represents LeBron James and who orchestrated a public, mid-season trade demand for which Davis was fined $50,000.
“But there’s nothing wrong with A.D.,” Gentry added. “He’s a good, solid guy with good character.”
Cousins was playing in New Orleans for the first time since tearing his Achilles as a member of the Pelicans in January 2018.
As he finished dressing in the locker room after the game, Cousins smiled and acknowledged reporters who approached, but dissuaded them from asking questions by asserting he had nothing to say.
“Write what y’all want. That’s what you do anyway,” Cousins said. “Y’all have a wonderful evening.”