DeMarcus Cousins put up a historic statline Monday night of 44 points, 24 rebounds, 10 assists and 4 steals in the New Orleans Pelicans’ 132-128 overtime win against the visiting Chicago Bulls.
Boogie became the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972 to register as many as 40 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a game.
Anthony Davis added 34 points, and helped lead the Pels from a 17-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation.
Per the AP:
“My strength coach had the nerve to ask me, do I want to lift after this game? I almost lost it. If I had some energy, we would have fought,” Cousins said. “I’m just glad it’s over. Seriously. I think (the Bulls) feel the same way, too.”
Davis, who fouled out in the first overtime, called Cousins’ performance “legendary,” adding that his fellow big man — more than anyone — earned the day off from practice the Pelicans were given on Tuesday.
“You dream about moments like that as a kid — a game coming down to the line and just making big plays down the stretch,” Cousins said. “I think we just willed our way through this game.”
