Entering tonight’s game on a four game losing streak and with a playoff berth starting to slip away, the New Orleans Pelicans bounced back with a crushing 102-88 win over the Sacramento Kings in New Orleans.

It was a slow start for the Pelicans on Friday as DeMarcus Cousins dominated the first quarter with 13 points on an array of jumpers, trash talk and hardcore stares. Cousins play helped the Kings jump out to a 20-18 after one.

Things changed quickly towards the end of the first half though, as the Pelicans started to push back and up the pace. Norris Cole tied the game at 23 and 10:11 on the clock and Alexis Ajinca took things from there with a few put backs to help the Pelicans take their first lead of the night. Behind back-to-back Quincy Pondexter buckets, including one as the shot clock expired the Pelcians took a 46-42 lead into halftime as Cousins continued to dominate to keep the Kings close.

In the third, the Pelicans really took control behind Pondexter, (who finished with 16 points and five rebounds), Davis (who finished with 24 points, nine rebounds, and six blocks), and Tyreke Evans, (who finished with 25 points, three rebounds, and 10 assists). Davis, who recently returned from a shoulder injury, had an off game tonight but finished strong after irritating his shoulder trying to clear a screen and getting sandwiched between two Kings.

The fourth quarter was much of the same as the Pelicans were up 20 at one point and cruised to victory despite a 39 point, 20 rebounds, two assist game from Cousins.

“DeMarcus is DeMarcus and he’s an outstanding player, but we can’t let one man defeat us” Anthony Davis told Fox Sports New Orleans’ Jennifer Hale after the game, before adding about his shoulder that, “I’m not gonna lie it hurts, but imma play through it.”

The Pelicans still have 11 more games to go in the regular season and tonight’s game is just the start of an important four game stretch if New Orleans wants to make the playoffs. I am curious to see how Davis continues to recover and progress through the season and if he will be able to sustain the MVP level play he has given the Pelicans through the season with his shoulder still bothering him. It would also be great to see Pondexter continue to make a bigger and more aggressive appearance. He has been a marksman from deep since he arrived in New Orleans this season and has shown surprising passing abilities at times , but he needs continue to sink those deep threes consistently to open up more space for Davis if the Pelicans want to make the playoffs.