As the New Orleans Pelicans gear up for a critical Sunday night game against the Denver Nuggets, they'll head into the contest without All Star DeMarcus Cousins. New Orleans ruled out the big man with an ankle injury on Sunday afternoon after the team labeled him a game-time decision on Sunday morning's injury report.

New Orleans enters the night five games back of the Nuggets for the eighth seed in the Western Conference and a loss night would be a major blow to its playoff hopes. Now the team will have to rely heavily on Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday to shoulder the load and attempt to lead the team to victory.

In 13 games with the Pelicans this season, Cousins averaged 22.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 blocks per night. Now with him on the bench, Davis will receive an even larger usage tonight. The fellow Kentucky big man holds averages of 27.8 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game this season. His numbers have held fairly steady in March with averages of 26 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per night.

He'll be a big player in DFS tonight going against a Nuggets' front court that is not known for its defense in the slightest. Cousins' absence also boost Holiday's stock and give him the opportunity to put up 16-plus points and seven-plus assists, putting him back in the rhythm as the Pelicans' No.2 option before they acquired Cousins.

Dante Cunningham will start in Cousins place, but he is off the fantasy radar. Cousins is considered day-to-day.