The night began with DeMarcus Cousins' stomach churning with butterflies and nerves, and it ended with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson dumping bottled water on his head.

Making his much-anticipated return to the basketball court nearly a year after tearing his left Achilles tendon, Cousins impressed with 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and three 3-pointers before fouling out in 15 minutes in the Golden State Warriors' 112-94 rout of the LA Clippers at Staples Center.