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Kings-Pelicans Preview

Jan 27, 2016 - 9:00 PM Not much was expected of the Sacramento Kings this season, but DeMarcus Cousins has led them into playoff contention.

Anthony Davis was expected to push the New Orleans Pelicans to the next level. However, that hasn't happened and now he might miss some time.

Cousins will try to resume an otherwise outstanding January by bouncing back from one of the worst shooting performances of his career Thursday night when the Kings continue their road swing against the short-handed Pelicans.

The All-Star big man led the league with 34.4 points per game this month - nearly five better than Golden State's Stephen Curry - after scoring 48 against Indiana on Saturday and a franchise-record 56 versus Charlotte on Monday.

Cousins, though, cooled off Tuesday when he was held to 17 points and missed 17 of 21 shots in a 112-95 loss at Portland. It was his worst game from the field since going 3 for 16 in a loss at Washington in February 2014.

George Karl was hesitant to blame the effort on fatigue after Cousins played 46 minutes in a 129-128 double-overtime loss to the Hornets.

''He's been so good I'm not going to complain," the coach said. "He's been our horse and we've ridden him to a lot of good things.''

Cousins has led Sacramento (20-25) within percentage points of the Trail Blazers for the Western Conference's final playoff spot. The Kings haven't reached the postseason since 2005-06.

Rajon Rondo has done a nice job getting Cousins the ball, recording at least 10 assists in 13 straight games. He leads the NBA by a wide margin with 11.8 per game, which would be a career high.

Rondo's only game of more than 15 points in the past month came against New Orleans (16-28), getting 17 along with 10 assists, but the Kings lost at home 109-97 on Jan. 13. Cousins had 32 points and 12 rebounds, giving him averages of 31.7 points and 17.3 boards during Sacramento's three-game losing streak in this series.

Davis and Eric Gordon finished with 24 points apiece for the Pelicans, but both could miss this contest. While Gordon remains sidelined with a broken finger, Davis sustained a concussion in Monday's 112-111 home loss to Houston that snapped a season high-tying three-game winning streak.

Davis has yet to pass the league's concussion protocol but is listed as questionable along with Tyreke Evans, who is dealing with right knee tendinitis.

New Orleans has dropped all five of its games this season without Davis, who is averaging team highs of 22.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks.

Ryan Anderson, who has 45 points over the last two games, will likely start in his place. Fellow reserve Jrue Holiday stepped up with a season-high 32 points, nine assists and three steals Monday.

"We just have to continue to plug away and play hard," said Toney Douglas, who had a season-high 18 points.

After reaching the playoffs for the first time in four years, the Pelicans have been a major disappointment this season. They're 3 1/2 games behind Sacramento as they sit at the bottom of the Southwest Division.

New Orleans has scored 114.0 points per game while shooting 47.4 percent from 3-point range in its last four and should get some open looks against Sacramento, which ranks last in the NBA with 107.8 points allowed per game.

The Kings could have Rudy Gay after he sat out Tuesday due to an eye injury.