NEW ORLEANS -- Pelicans All-Star power forward Anthony Davis returned from his right shoulder sprain and started Wednesday night's 88-85 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Davis had 39 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks in 42 minutes as the Pelicans won for the sixth time in seven games.
Pelicans coach Monty Williams used the term "unreal" to describe Davis' first game back. Recently acquired guard Norris Cole joked that Davis is "not human."
Davis said he was so eager to play that he put on his uniform earlier than usual and wound up pacing around the locker room.
"I had a lot of energy coming back," he said. "I just couldn't wait to get on the floor. I was just out there having fun, and it showed."
Davis hit two midrange jumpers in the last 1:14, the second with 18 seconds left, to hold off Detroit in a frenetic, defensive game that had 15 lead changes and eight ties.
Davis' seventh block of the game -- a two-handed rejection of 6-foot-11 Greg Monroe in the paint -- gave him the Pelicans' career record, surpassing David West's 435. In only his third season, Davis has 437 blocked shots.
"In my third year, being a franchise holder of any stat is a blessing," Davis said. "I just try to go out there and play for my team, do whatever it takes to win. And you do that and play with the passion and the fight and the drive that the team has, things like that come across."
Davis, who was averaging 23.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, was hurt in the first quarter of New Orleans' victory Feb. 21 at Miami and missed five games after that.
Wednesday's win kept the Pelicans one game behind Oklahoma City for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy jokingly said before the game that he believed Davis' shoulder was not "the least bit ready" and that letting him play was "a major mistake."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.