NEW ORLEANS -- It was a cruel tweak that changed the course of the season for the New Orleans Pelicans and, possibly, the future of DeMarcus Cousins.
Cousins took an awkward step chasing down his missed free throw in the final seconds of an impressive 115-113 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night, rupturing his left Achilles tendon and sidelining him for the rest of the season.
The best current NBA player never to have made the playoffs will miss the next 6-to-10 months rehabbing the injury. The Pelicans (27-21), meanwhile, have 34 games left to see if they can hold onto a Western Conference playoff spot with Anthony Davis, their other All-Pro, shouldering the load.