Kings' Cousins Scores Career-High 56 Points in Loss

Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins scored a career-high 56 points in Monday's 129-128 double-overtime loss to the Charlotte Hornets, topping his previous personal best of 48 points that he set in Saturday's 108-97 win over the Indiana Pacers, per NBA.com/Stats.

Arguably the NBA's hottest player over the past couple of weeks, the 25-year-old big man scored the most points for any player in a game that his team lost since Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant put up 58 in a losing effort back in December 2006 against the then-Charlotte Bobcats, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Also per ESPN Stats & Info, Cousins' 56 points are the most any Kings player has produced since the team moved to Sacramento in 1985-86, though he did fall three shy of Jack Twyman's franchise record (59), set in January 1960 against the Minneapolis Lakers when the franchise was known as the Cincinnati Royals.

Perhaps most impressive of all, Cousins became just the fourth player in the last 30 seasons to record back-to-back games with 45-plus points and double-digit rebounds, joining Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and (surprisingly) Antawn Jamison, per ESPN Stats & Info. 

Of course, it still wasn't enough to bring home a victory, in large part because Cousins fouled out with three minutes and 30 seconds remaining in the second overtime.

The Kings only scored two points the rest of the way, dropping their record to 20-24, which is still good for a one-game lead over the Portland Trail Blazers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.