Pelicans’ Cousins fined for language toward LA, Utah fans

Demarcus Cousins will miss Friday's game against Houston due to a knee and rib injury. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

NEW ORLEANS — The NBA has fined New Orleans Pelicans front-court star DeMarcus Cousins $50,000 for "directing inappropriate language" toward fans during a pair of recent road games.

NBA Executive Vice-President Kiki VanDeWeghe, who announced the fine on Thursday, says the incidents occurred during the Pelicans’ victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles on Sunday and at the end of New Orleans’ loss to the Jazz in Utah on Monday night.

The Pelicans acquired Cousins in a trade with Sacramento during the All-Star break involving multiple players and draft picks. Since then, New Orleans is 2-6 overall, and 1-6 with Cousins in the lineup.

Cousins missed one of the Pelicans’ victories since his trade because he received an automatic one-game suspension after being assessed his 18th technical foul of the season.

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