With Solomon Hill injury, Pelicans face talent deficit at small forward spot

No matter what they do, it seems the cloud of injury continues to linger over the New Orleans Pelicans.

The team announced Sunday that forward Solomon Hill will miss most, if not all, of the 2017-18 season with a hamstring injury.

Hill, who has already undergone surgery, is expected to need anywhere from 6-8 months to recover.

This news is a clear blow for a Pelicans team that was counting on Hill to show development as the team’s starting small forward.

Hill proved he was an above-average perimeter defender last season, often drawing the opponent’s best outside scorer. His biggest drawback was his inconsistent offense. Last season, Hill averaged 7.0 points per game on 38.3 percent shooting.

Even more than his production, the Pelicans lose depth on the wing, something they have precious little of already.

Quincy Pondexter and Darius Miller are now the only small forwards remaining on the roster. Pondexter has missed the last two seasons with injury and Miller is trying to reestablish himself as an NBA player after spending two years in Europe.

Dell Demps and Alvin Gentry will have to be creative in addressing this situation. With the team already near the hard cap, it will be very hard to go outside the organization for talent.

Jalen Jones, currently on a two-way G-League deal, could be brought up, but by the terms of his contract he is limited to 45 days with the big club.

Dante Cunningham has to be smiling. The free agent forward had his best season in New Orleans last year, and is better offensively than Hill. The market for his services hasn’t been hot, but his value to the Pelicans is only increased by this development. He should probably expect a phone call in the very near future.

The Pelicans could try to stretch Omer Asik’s contract to get him off the roster and lessen his damage to the team’s salary cap. Asik has been an underachiever when healthy, and his recovery from the bacterial infection that caused him to lose significant weight is still an unknown. Now may be the perfect time to let him walk.

Alexis Ajinca would be another possible chip to move via trade, but Gentry seems to like him and he is a viable backup at the center position.

Beyond that, options are limited or nonexistent.

More pressure now falls on the shoulders of Jrue Holiday and possibly E’Twaun Moore. Holiday has be an aggressive scorer on a nightly basis and Moore will probably see his minutes increase if the Pelicans implement more three-guard lineups this season.

No matter what the Pelicans do, the Hill injury is certainly a setback. To what degree remains to be seen.

Pelicans Schedule Breakdown: Road-heavy start will set tone for watershed season

NEW ORLEANS — Today the New Orleans Pelicans released their schedule for the 2017-18 season. Certain details had already begun to leak last week and earlier in the day, with fans discovering that the Pels would open the season on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 18 followed by the home opener two nights later in a nationally televised contest against the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

This season’s schedule has been eagerly awaited since the close of last season. Anticipation and expectations were only intensified during the offseason as the Pelicans were able to re-sign guard Jrue Holiday and add veteran point guard Rajon Rondo to the mix. That along with the prospects of a full season with Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins in the front court have hopes high both at team headquarters on Airline Drive and throughout the New Orleans area.

As a franchise, the New Orleans Pelicans may have reached their defining moment. When they arrived from Charlotte, they were a team comprised of players either seeking a way out (Baron Davis) or just plain on the way out (Jamal Mashburn). After falling to the depths of the NBA, they rebuilt around superstar point guard Chris Paul and All-Star David West, making it to Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals. But as then-owner George Shinn began to move away from the franchise, so did good fortune.

It didn’t return until the ping pong balls aligned just right, bringing current cornerstone Davis to the Crescent City. However, as you know, the Pels have tasted the postseason just once in A.D.’s five seasons.

After posting a combined 64 wins the last two years, the pressure is squarely on the team to have a breakout campaign. Without a playoff run Cousins, in the last year of his contract may bolt for greener pastures (both competitively and financially). Rondo is on a one-year deal, and after suiting up for four teams in the last three years, he could be playing for his career. The Pelicans also find themselves right up against the hard cap, making it difficult to reshape this roster as the season goes on.

How does the schedule play into all of this?

First and foremost the Pelicans have to get off to a good start. Under Head Coach Alvin Gentry, the Pels opened the 2015-16 season 2-11 and in 2016 the team stumbled out of the gate to a 2-10 mark. Both seasons were essentially over by late November.

Looking at this year’s slate, New Orleans starts the season with eight of their first 12 games away from the Smoothie King Center. They have a three-game West Coast trip where they face the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Sacramento Kings. After a three-game home stand, the Pels go back on the road to take on Dallas, Chicago, Indiana and Toronto. Over the last two years, New Orleans has a grand total of 22 road wins. To be a contender, the Pelicans can’t go less than .500 in those games.

The home slate is no less daunting in the early part of the season. Of the Pels’ first 15 games in New Orleans, nine come against teams who made the playoffs in 2016-17, including two games against Golden State, as well as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs. They also square off against teams like Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Denver; young teams expected to make playoff pushes of their own.

By the turn of the new year, New Orleans will have played 36 games. Of those, nearly 60 percent come against last season’s playoff teams. That’s a tremendous challenge, but also a great opportunity.

The December schedule is particularly interesting as the Pels play 15 games during the month, eight at home and seven on the road. Only four are games where New Orleans would be a definitive favorite; at home against Sacramento, Brooklyn, and New York and on the road against Orlando.

2018 begins with the Pelicans playing six of their first eight games  in January on the road and five of their last six at home. The team has a great chance to build some momentum heading into February on a high note, as January should probably be the softest part of the schedule, relatively speaking. The Pels have home games against Detroit, Memphis, Chicago, the Clippers and Sacramento; all teams New Orleans should be able to beat. On the road, they play Memphis again, as well as the Knicks, Hawks and Hornets. Not exactly a murderer’s row.

February begins with five of seven games on the road. But after a tough back to back against OKC and Minnesota, the Pelicans get the Jazz and Pacers at home. New Orleans has a great shot to go undefeated at home during the month, with the Lakers, Heat and Suns coming to the Smoothie King Center. The rest of the road schedule is winnable as well, with a three-game trip to face the 76ers, Nets, and Pistons and one-game visits to Milwaukee and San Antonio.

February’s biggest challenge will be endurance. The Pels play two stretches of three games in four nights prior to the All-Star break and finish with four in six.

In March, things really begin to get exciting.  Beginning with a home contest against the Washington Wizards on March 9, New Orleans plays six straight against playoff teams (Washington, Utah, Charlotte, San Antonio, Houston, Boston). They close the month with road games at Houston and Cleveland with a home contest against Portland sandwiched in between. Surviving that gauntlet is a must.

The Pelicans close the regular season in April with division contests against Oklahoma City and Memphis, followed by another three-game trip out west to face Phoenix, Golden State, and the Clippers before the regular season finale at home against the Spurs. Again, supposing the team is healthy and playing to its potential, winning four out of those six seems quite doable.

By last year’s numbers, the Pelicans have one of the league’s toughest schedules, but each season is it’s own story. It’s hard to give a definitive prediction about a team we have yet to see play together.

Looking at the landscape of the Western Conference, it’s hard to put New Orleans among the top four. Golden State, Houston, San Antonio and OKC should be secure in those spots. While the Lakers, Suns, and Kings should be better, I can’t imagine any of them making the playoffs. That leaves eight teams battling for four playoff berths.

The Pelicans, at their best, have to be considered a contender for a fifth or sixth seed. In 61 days, they’ll begin their journey. Whether it ends in the postseason or not, it should be one hell of a ride.

Pelicans continue to add depth on the perimeter

Ian Clark

NEW ORLEANS — Over the past two days, the New Orleans Pelicans have signed guards Ian Clark and Charles Cooke and forward Jalen Jones in their continued pursuit of perimeter scoring.

Clark took a one-year deal worth $1.6 million dollars to come to New Orleans after spending the last two seasons with the Golden State Warriors. Entering the offseason, Clark was expected to be in higher demand this offseason after converting nearly 37 percent of his three point attempts for the Warriors during his stay by the bay. He also shot a career high 48 percent from the floor in 2016-17.

At 6-3, 175 lbs, Clark joins a backcourt that now has an average height of 6-3. Pelicans shooters will have to be productive in order to offset their size disadvantage on the perimeter. But, at the cost and with Clark’s skillset, this is a quality move by Dell Demps and the rest of the Pelicans’ front office.

Charles Cooke (4)

Cooke, a 6-5 guard out of Dayton, and Jones, a 6-7 forward from Texas A&M were both signed to two-way deals by the team today. Per terms of their contracts, both players will spend most of their time in the NBA G League, but may spend as many as 45 days with their NBA team during the season.

Cooke led the Flyers in scoring (15.8) and rebounding (5.1) and was named Second Team All-Atlantic 10 and to the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team. He was also a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 2017 Summer League team and averaged 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals over five games.

Jalen Jones (12)

Jones spent the 2016 season with the Maine Red Claws of the G League, averaging 21.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals and was named to the NBA G League All-Rookie First Team and All-NBA G League Third Team. Jones played in the G League All-Star game in New Orleans last season.

Playing for the Pelicans’ summer league entry, Jones played in six contests and posted 13.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

With New Orleans nearing the league’s hard cap and now with 14 guaranteed contracts on the roster, the Pelicans clearly have more leverage in their negotiations with free agent forward Dante Cunningham.

Cunningham, who turned 30 in April, is coming off of his most productive season for the Pels. Appearing in 66 games last season (35 starts), DC set highs in field goal percentage (.485), three point percentage (.392), rebounding (4.2) and scoring (6.6).

It appears that Demps is willing to let the market set Cunningham’s price, and with training camp stil nearly two months away, there is plenty of time to get him back into the fold.

Demps has always shown a willingness to go looking for talent. These past two days indicate that he may have found some.  

State of the Pelicans: They should be better, but are they good enough?

The 2017-18 season may go down as the most important in the history of the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans.

The Pels will enter their 15th season in the Crescent City with two of the league’s top 15 players in Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, but Cousins becomes a free agent at the end of the year, so the pressure to make some noise in the Western Conference is both real and intense.

Even after missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the past six seasons, there were encouraging signs at the Smoothie King Center.

Cousins and Davis showed the ability to play together and the Pelicans were one of the NBA’s best teams on both ends of the floor during an 18 game stretch late in the year. While going 10-8 from March 1 through April 4, New Orleans ranked 11th in defensive rating.

The Pelicans shot 46 from the floor and made 36 percent of their three point attempts in those games, a definite improvement over their season averages of 45 percent and 35 percent respectively.

With “Boogie and the Brow” joining forces, the buzz is definitely back surrounding a franchise that has been operating on the fringes of the league. Now, as summer comes to an end and training camp looms just around the corner, let’s look back on the Pelicans’ offseason and what steps the team has taken to as it attempts to get back to the postseason for only the sixth time in the franchise’s history.

Front Office

While it may have been a disappointment to some fans, it was no surprise when the Pelicans announced that beleaguered general manager Dell Demps would be back for his seventh season at the helm. Demps has the trust of owner Tom Benson and his chief lieutenant Mickey Loomis. Demps is an easy target for those searching for a cause for the Pels’ inconsistent play during his tenure. While “Dealin’ Dell” has consistently been active in the pursuit of talent, he’s been far more successful in finding bench support rather than an effective supporting cast for his franchise player, Anthony Davis. Demps essentially earned his pardon from the governor after pulling off the Cousins trade at the deadline. If the Pelicans don’t make the playoffs this season, or if Cousins bolts, there may not be anything to save Demps next offseason.

Coaching Staff

Alvin Gentry has had it rough in his first two seasons. His debut season was marred by one of the most injury-plagued campaigns in team history. Last season, the Pelicans got off to a second straight horrible start. Were it not for the mediocrity of the lower end of the Western Conference, New Orleans would have been out of the playoff chase by December. Gentry has done a solid job in keeping his locker room together, as his teams have always played with effort (though not always with purpose).

It seems Gentry’s greatest asset is his willingness to identify assistant coaches who fill a need and then let them do their jobs. Darren Erman has been a tremendous hire as Associate Head Coach, pulling the Pelicans’ defense from the depths of the league standings to among the very best. Gentry is hoping for that same type of success with the addition of Chris Finch this offseason.

Finch spent last season with the Denver Nuggets as they finished third in the NBA in scoring at nearly 112 points per game. He coached versatile big men like Danilo Gallinari and Nikola Jokic as the Nuggets employed an entertaining and effective offensive attack. Before that, Finch was on the bench of the Houston Rockets and led the Rockets’ D-League team to consecutive finals appearances and the 2010 D-League championship.

Gentry knows this may be his last opportunity as a head coach in the NBA. Having coaches who understand their roles and Gentry’s vision will be vital to any hope he has of extending this opportunity for another season or more.

The Draft

Of course, the Pelicans’ first round pick went to Sacramento in the Cousins deal, so New Orleans leveraged its two second round picks to move up and select Duke guard Frank Jackson. Jackson missed Summer League play with injury and is just 19 years old, so whatever contributions he makes this season would be lagniappe.

The Backcourt

With DeMarcus Cousins taking any discussion of a contract extension off the table upon his arrival in New Orleans, this offseason was all about retaining guard Jrue Holiday.

The Pelicans were able to do that with a five-year contract worth at least $126 million and as much as $150 million. It was an extremely high price to play for a solid, if unspectacular, player who will be entering his ninth season. Holiday isn’t a “franchise” talent, but he’s being paid like one now. The fact that Holiday had the leverage to negotiate a contract like this one shows just how little leverage the Pelicans had with Jrue. Holiday will be under a glaring spotlight all season long as his play in relation to his pay will be hotly debated.

Holiday’s overall value as a player is in question due to his injury history (he’s missed nearly 40 percent of New Orleans’ games over the past four seasons) and his tendency to disappear for stretches during games.

Holiday also had advantages both offensively and defensively at the point guard position, but the arrival of another backcourt general could have a dramatic impact on his value going forward.

During the late stages of last season, Gentry experimented with playing Holiday off the ball while starting Tim Frazier at the point. At times the results were encouraging, though Frazier’s offensive and defensive limitations made it hard to fully evaluate the change in strategy.

New Orleans is essentially “all-in” on that plan now with the acquisition of point guard Rajon Rondo.

Rondo, one of the league’s top passers and a former teammate of DeMarcus Cousins in Sacramento, comes on the cheap. The Pelicans were able to sign him for just $3.3 million, a bargain for someone with Rondo’s resume’ and experience. However, Rondo has seen his value decline as he’s now on his fifth team in the past four seasons.

Rondo did have one of his best seasons when playing alongside Boogie during the 2015-16 season, averaging just under 12 points and 12 assists per game in 72 contests. But, he’ll be playing with a much different roster and with much different expectations in New Orleans.

One of the biggest needs the Pelicans had this offseason was shooting, and Rajon Rondo brings precious little of that. He’s a career 30 percent shooter from distance and his midrange offensive game is nonexistent.

Rondo is also a player that inspires extreme emotions. He had a contentious relationship with Doc Rivers and Ray Allen in Boston. One of the NBA’s top coaches, Rick Carlisle, publicly stated his regrets for bringing Rondo to Dallas. Last season in Chicago he clashed with Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade.

The Pelicans are counting on him being a leader, and they are willing to roll the dice that he’ll be a positive force on the court and in the locker room.

Pairing Rondo and Holiday in the backcourt, along with Solomon Hill on the wing, means the Pelicans will potentially one of the worst catch-and-shoot trios in the league.  Rondo had an effective field goal percentage of 56.4 percent in those situations, with Holiday coming in at 47 percent and Hill at 55.4.

With the lack of depth behind Rondo and Holiday, they should be on the floor together for extended stretches, which could be problematic for the Pelicans offense in the half court.

Jordan Crawford was a pleasant surprise last season as a scorer off the bench and the Pelicans will be expecting more of the same from the man dubbed “Instant Grits” by Cousins for his ability to get going quickly. He and E’Twaun Moore will have to compete for minutes with Holiday logging more time at the off guard spot. Despite his social media posts, Quincy Pondexter remains an afterthought more than someone the team can count on after missing two full seasons with injury.

The Frontcourt

Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins give the Pelicans the NBA’s most talented front court duo by far. They are generational talents and their skills seem to compliment each other. Neither has had a teammate of the other’s caliber since they entered the league, maybe since they left Kentucky.

Cousins’ ability to handle the ball, his court vision, and his outside shooting should make life easier for Davis and the rest of the Pels. With a second player drawing double teams, Davis was given the freedom to operate in space and had some of his biggest games of the season with Cousins on the roster.

With Davis, the concern will always be his health. He played in 75 games last season, the most of his young career (his previous high was 68 in 2014-15), but left several games early with injury. Keeping Davis on the floor remains priority number one for the Pelicans.

For his part, Cousins seems to have dedicated himself to getting into the best shape of his career this offseason. There were times last season where Boogie struggled to keep pace with the team’s defensive rotations and he was not great at changing ends of the court in transition. Coach Gentry pointed to improving Cousins’ conditioning as one of the Pels’ offseason goals.

Davis and Cousins have few question marks surrounding their play. Davis still has room to improve in the post and as a consistent shooter from distance, and Cousins can still work on his composure and attention to detail, but these are the pillars the franchise is trying to build upon. As they go, so go the Pelicans.

Solomon Hill proved to be a very capable perimeter defender, but his offense was inconsistent all season. He’ll have to be the “3 and D” player he was expected to be when he was signed as a free agent to ease the pressure on the Pelicans’ bigs and the team’s new back court as well.

Cheick Diallo showed flashes of his ability in Summer League play as he nearly averaged a double-double with 18.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. His body has started to fill out as he nears 240 pounds entering his second season. His length and athleticism could help him play a valuable role as an interior defender and second-chance scorer.

Alexis Ajinca and Omer Asik return, and while Ajinca occassionally brings offense and rebounding to the table it is clear that Asik is no longer in the Pelicans’ plans. The only thing keeping Asik on the roster is his albatross of a contract, annually rated as one of the most untradeable in the NBA.

Darius Miller returns for his second stint with the Pelicans and should be Solomon Hill’s primary backup if the roster remains as is. Miller spent the last three seasons overseas and averaged 10.9 points per game while shooting 41 percent from three-point range for Brose Bamberg in Germany last year.

Miller is clearly being counted on to help space the floor for a team still in need of consistent shooting. It remains to be seen if he can provide it.

Analysis

It’s all or nothing for just about everyone in the Pelicans organization this season. The Pelicans may be better this season, but just about everyone in the Western Conference has gotten better as well. Even in a best case scenario, it would be hard to imagine this team winning a playoff series.

However, the most important thing the Pelicans can do this season is prove to DeMarcus Cousins that New Orleans in the place for him to be. Because if the season goes south, and it becomes clear that Cousins is on his way out, the New Orleans Pelicans could take a giant leap backwards. That could also initiate a chain of events that leads to Anthony Davis seeking his own path out of town and a further erosion of local fan support.

There are reasons for optimism and reasons for concern. And that, ladies and gentlemen, has been the story of the New Orleans Pelicans for quite some time.

Pelicans fall to Nuggets and are eliminated from playoff chase

NEW ORLEANS – The season doesn’t officially end for another week, but the competitive portion for the New Orleans Pelicans’ ended last night, with a 134-131 loss to the Denver Nuggets at the Smoothie King Center.

If someone asked for just one game to encapsulate what this season has been like for the Pelicans, this one would certainly be up for consideration.

Anthony Davis had a superlative scoring performance with 41 points in under 41 minutes. DeMarcus Cousins was often the best player on the floor; filling the stat sheet with 30 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists and two blocks.

At times, the supporting cast played well. Solomon Hill made five three-pointers, E’Twaun Moore scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

The Pelicans held the lead entering in the fourth quarter.

And yet, New Orleans was outscored 32-26 in that final period. Davis was limited to three field goal attempts and scored only four points in the fourth. Jrue Holiday was scoreless. Defensively, the Nuggets were allowed to make 58 percent of their attempts down the stretch, including 4-for-7 from distance. Denver was led to victory by young players: Emmanuel Mudiay, Jamal Murray and Gary Harris combined for 21 points and a grand total of six years of NBA experience between them.

Finally, the capper. Holiday making two horrible miscues on consecutive possessions. First, dribbling the ball off his own leg and committing an over-and-back violation, and then Holiday threw a pass right into the arm of Gary Harris who collected the steal.

Even after that Holiday was the one with the ball in his hands, taking the final shot of regulation with a chance to tie, a chance to postpone the inevitable one more night. And he missed.

“We can’t have the crucial turnovers,” said Head Coach Alvin Gentry. “But it’s like I said to the guys…that play is not the play that lost the game for us. There are twenty plays before that (play) that you can look at that we should have been better at.”

“All of those add up so you can’t take one play at the end of the game and say that is the reason you guys lost. So yes, Jrue made, there were two turnovers, but those two turnovers shouldn’t have been the difference.”

For his part, Holiday apologized to his teammates.

“Obviously, hate to make those type of decisions and mistakes in such tight quarters,” said Holiday, “but I have great teammates. They told me to keep my head up. Obviously, some of the best players have done it in similar situations and they told me that wasn’t the reason we lost.”

“It’s basketball, mistakes happen,” added Cousins. “To sit there and take the blame for a game that was full of mistakes…I appreciate him for trying to take that blame, but that’s not the case.”

So, we move on. The Pelicans still have four games remaining, though they don’t expect to focus as much on winning as they do on ending the season with no more injuries.

“I won’t play AD 40 minutes,” said Gentry of his plans for the road trip. “I’ll try to take a look at a few guys. I’d like to take a look at Quinn Cook, see if we can find some minutes for Cheick (Diallo) these last four games and have him play some time. DeMarcus has an Achille’s problem, so we’ll monitor that and see what we want to do there.”

The sound of the final buzzer last night wasn’t just signaling the end of the game. It marked the end of what is the team’s fifth season in the last six outside of the playoffs. If the Pelicans maintain their standing of tenth in the Western Conference, it will be the franchise’s second best finish during that same span (behind the 2014-15 playoff team).

Gentry is already thinking about next season, he knows what he has in his superstars.

“I think we can see that DeMarcus and AD can coexist and be fine together,” he said. “You put them in a training camp and you’re able to really hone in on what you want to do and how they can play together and they can be very, very effective.”

But there are questions. First and foremost is Jrue Holiday’s impending free agency. Holiday addressed the fans before the game, ending his remarks by saying he hopes to see them next year.

“New Orleans is kind of like a second home to me,” said Holiday after the game. “Obviously, with what I went through this year, and being able to have the support from the fans, and my teammates and all that. Sure, I’d like to see them next year. But, obviously, I’m going to do what’s best for me and my family.”

Understanding the business side to all this, his teammates want Holiday back next season as well.

“I would love to have Jrue back here for next season,” said Cousins. “Me convincing him, AD and everybody else in this locker room, it’s still on him. He’s gonna make the best decision for him, his family, his career.”

“Of course, Jrue is a big part of our team and we want to keep him here,” added Davis. “But when it’s all said we’re going have to figure out a way to get him to come back here and play with us next year.”

Whatever your feelings about Pelicans’ General Manager Dell Demps or Alvin Gentry, the Cousins trade seems to have been a reset button for their stints in New Orleans. In each of Gentry’s first two seasons, he’s dealt with injury and incredible roster instability. While he is disappointed at missing the playoffs, he welcomes the opportunity to finally enter a training camp with his team intact.

“You put (AD and Cousins) in a training camp and you’re able to really hone in on what you want to do and how they can play together and they can be very, very effective,” he said. “I think we’ve got a chance to move forward. For us, we just need to have a training camp that’s injury free, where we have everybody there, where we can put in a system, then play the pre-season games and then play.”

“I like the way we’ve been playing,” added Solomon Hill. “We just gotta try to handle business in the offseason with taking care of our guys and getting the right guys back and definitely building from that. We’ll see where it goes.”

We will see. Because the reality is that this season was a disappointment. It was not a disaster, and perhaps without the underachievement of the early season, the DeMarcus Cousins deal never happens.

Cousins seems to enjoy playing alongside Davis and in New Orleans and looks forward to his first offseason with the team.

“I mean, it would have been great to make the playoffs,” said Cousins. “I’m more excited for next season. This was just a learning curve.”

“I’m proud of the steps we’ve taken as a team. Under the circumstances of how this team kinda came about, I think we improved greatly…I think this team has a bright future and is full of potential. It’s just a matter of time before everything comes together.”

“I think we made a lot of progress,” said Davis. “I think next year we’ll be a lot better. Especially after this second half of the season.”

However, the Pelicans must continue to bolster the roster. Small forward and lead guard among the most pressing personnel needs at this stage. What we’ve seen of Davis and Cousins together thus far has been encouraging, but with Cousins headed for free agency himself after next season, anything short of a playoff run could separate this duo before it ever reaches its full potential.

Cousins’ 31 points pace Pels to 117-89 win over his former team

NEW ORLEANS – After drubbing the Sacramento Kings 117-89 on Friday night, the New Orleans Pelicans improved their record to 33-43 on the season, winning for the eighth time in their last 11 games.

It was a dominant performance by the Pelicans over a young Kings team. The Pelicans scored 60 points in the paint and outscored Sacramento by 17 on the fast break. New Orleans also collected a season-high 17 steals and scored a season-high 36 points off 22 Kings turnovers.

The Kings were also the third team in the last six games to score 90 points or less against the Pelicans’ defense. Sacramento shot 39 percent for the game, including 6-for-19 on three point attempts.

“We’ve been really good,” said Head Coach Alvin Gentry. “Our perimeter defense has been really good. I think Jrue (Holiday) has really stepped up his defense and done a good job. And then Solomon (Hill) has really been that way the whole year. But we’ve also had guys that come in, you know E’Twaun’s (Moore) done a good job. So, in general we’ve done a good job.”

But the biggest winner was DeMarcus Cousins. The centerpiece of the deadline deal between these two teams, Cousins scored 37 points, pulled down 13 boards while adding four assists, three steals and two blocked shots for good measure.

For Boogie, it was just another day at the office…sort of.

“It was just another chance to come out here and play hard, get a win, and just get better as a team,” Cousins said smiling as he repeated his remarks from prior to the game regarding his feelings towards facing his former franchise.

No matter what Cousins thought, his team was more than willing to help him shine against Sacramento.

“I’m not a guy that’s going to say this is just another game,” added Gentry. “I wanted him to play well against them. I did. And he did everything we asked him to do.”

“He downplayed (his excitement), but we all know how hyped up he was for this game,” said Anthony Davis. “Most importantly, we’re just happy that we came out with the win.”

The win was basically claimed by halftime. Davis, who finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, set the tone early with his 30th double-digit first quarter of the season. AD posted 11 points in the period, with Cousins adding 12 of his own, as the Pels took a 32-19 lead after the opening frame.

New Orleans led by 20 at the half, and aside from some spotty play in the third quarter, the game was never in doubt.

Cousins made sure of that with an 18-point fourth quarter where he made 5-of-9 shots, including two of his career-high tying five three-pointers, all in just under nine minutes of action.

On a night when Anthony Davis became the first player in franchise history to score 2,000 points in a season, Cousins was the headline, the main story and the back page all at once.

“I thought he was great during the first period when we needed to get a boost offensively,” added Gentry. “And then I thought that he did a great job of taking shots and being selective in what he does. Obviously, in this situation when you get up, you give him a little more freedom than you normally would. But I thought he played great.”

Cousins, for his part, tried to remain focused on the task of helping his team win rather than allow himself to get caught up in the emotions of facing his former teammates.

“I made sure not to come in and make this about me,” he said. “My biggest fear was coming in and doing that and coming out with a loss, and that would have been terrible, so I was just happy that we came out with a lot of energy.”

“We set the tone ear, and we just played the right type of basketball throughout the night, so I’m happier about that than any other stuff.”

As are Pelicans fans, as they enjoy the best basketball their team has played all season. After the initial rough spots, it appears that New Orleans has started to figure out its new identity. The rest of the league is taking notice as well.

“DeMarcus and AD, they can be good for a very long time,” said Kings guard Darren Collison. “They present a lot of problems, not only for us; they present a lot of problems for the whole entire league. You’ve kind of got to pick your poison. If it’s Anthony Davis, he can take you off the dribble. He’s a good mid-range shooter as well. DeMarcus, you know he is a jack of all trades. They are going to be good for a long time. You definitely have to limit some of the other players on their team, because they are going to get theirs.”

Even more encouraging for Pelicans fans is that Davis and Cousins are getting closer, and making each other better.

“Now that we’re on the same team, we just try to take bits and pieces of each other’s games and try to add it to ours to make us even more effective,” added Davis. “He’s a great player and can do a lot of things on both ends of the floor and I just try to learn from him.”

“I think I’m in a special situation,” Cousins said. “To be able to learn from my partner-in-crime and vice versa, I don’t think there are a lot of guys that can actually do that. I think me and AD still have a lot of room to grow as players and just to be able to grow together and learn from one another at the same time, I think that’s a special combination.”

The more the Pelicans play this way, the more people are going to be convinced that “Boogie and the Brow” are right.  Time, as they say, will tell.  But for now, the Pelicans have “Boogie Fever” and there doesn’t seem to be a cure (not even more cowbell).

Davis leads Pelicans past Mavs with historic effort

NEW ORLEANS – Though their still exists a slight chance that the Pelicans can earn a spot in the playoffs, the most likely scenario is that the Pels are playing out the string and preparing for next season.

Now with seven wins in their last 10 games, the Pelicans are creating a renewed sense of optimism for fans, and themselves.

New Orleans began its final home stand of the season by hanging on to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 121-118. Anthony Davis led the way with 30 points and 13 boards, topping that mark for the sixth straight came and becoming the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 to accomplish that feat. DeMarcus Cousins was right behind with 29 points while grabbing a game-high 16 boards and handing out six assists. Jrue Holiday finished with 18 points and 7 assists.

Dante Cunningham and Jordan Crawford scored 15 points each off the Pelicans’ bench. Crawford has now reached double figures in 11 of 12 games since joining the team.

Dirk Nowitzki had team-high 23 points for the Mavs, who fell a half game behind New Orleans in the Western Conference standings with the loss.

The Pelicans’ defense, which had been stout for most of the season, twice let double-digit second-half leads slip away as it allowed the Mavericks to put up 67 points after the break.

However, the team’s offense was there to pick up the slack all night. New Orleans topped 50 percent shooting from the floor and 40 percent from beyond the three-point line. The team also finished with just six turnovers, with no player giving the ball away more than once.

The Pelicans improved to 8-0 when scoring 120 points or more this season, with four of those wins coming since the Cousins trade.

“It was an ugly win,” said Cousins. “We’re better than that, especially defensively. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy about the win, that’s all that ever matters. I also know we could have done a lot better job and made the game easier on ourselves.”

Dallas tried to beat the Pelicans by going small for long stretches of the game, sometimes putting four guards on the floor, but Alvin Gentry stuck with his big men to pull out the win.

“We’re not the team to take our bigs out because they have a small lineup,” said Gentry. “I don’t understand that anyway. We’re going to take advantage of what we have versus what they’re trying to do offensively by having a smaller lineup.”

“Obviously, we have to adjust defensively (when other teams go small),” added Holiday. “But offensively, what five man could honestly guard DeMarcus or Ad? If you put in a four, or a three or anybody else on them, it’s definitely in our favor.”

The Mavericks didn’t really have an adjustment on the defensive end. Nerlens Noel, Dwight Powell and Nowitzki each took their shots at guarding Cousins and Davis, with none having any real success.

“They are a tough combo,” said Nowitzki. “They are tough together and they stagger their minutes. When one guy is out, the other guy is featured and they are both franchise players. Once they have a full training camp under them next year, if they stay healthy they are going to be a load.”

Cousins echoed those sentiments after the game. “I know it’s the small ball era, but I think we have two non-traditional big men and we can kinda use that to our advantage, especially when it comes to small lineups. I think we’ve got a chance to change things; change the way the style of play of basketball is going right now…It’s just a matter of time.”

A big key for that has been Cousins and Davis understanding each other. Beyond the Xs and Os of practice, the two have worked on their on-court relationship to make sure they both succeed. They also both understand the pressure of carrying a franchise on their shoulders, something Cousins is glad to share.

“I think we both eased up the pressure on each other,” Cousins added. “In the past (in Sacramento) there were games where I just felt there were a hundred people just hanging all over me. Since I’ve been here I’m seeing new defensive schemes I’ve never seen in my career before and I notice that with AD and vice versa. I definitely think we’ve eased the pressure on one another and we’re a little more free out there but it’s still the same type of responsibility.”

“They for sure have a groove,” Holiday said. “They pass to each other like they’ve done this before. Things are a lot easier when you see a person diving, one person popping, and they’re definitely figuring that out, and it makes it easier.”

Now with seven games to go, whether the Pelicans make the postseason or not, they will use the rest of the season to hopefully build on their recent successes heading into next season.

“At the end of the day, if we don’t make it (to the playoffs), we can still use this as an opportunity to learn one another, to get better every game and use this as a training camp…before training camp,” said Cousins.

“We’re still playing to win games,” Gentry said. “It doesn’t matter what the playoff situation is, we’re playing to win and we just gotta keep competing and trying to get better. We want to be playing our best basketball when we play the last game of the season.”

Boogie dances around Memphis to the tune of 41 points in Pelicans victory

NEW ORLEANS – DeMarcus Cousins had his best game since joining the Pelicans, scoring 41 points to go along with 17 rebounds, three blocks and two steals, to lead New Orleans to a 95-82 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

The win was the fifth in six games for the Pelicans who now sit 3.5 games back of the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

After a slow start, Anthony Davis picked up a double-double, finishing with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Jrue Holiday added 11 and Jordan Crawford posted double figures once again off the bench with 10 points in 16 minutes.

Mike Conley Jr. led the Grizzlies with 16 points.

This was most definitely Boogie’s night. Since joining the team, there has been some debate as to whether the presence of Cousins has made the Pelicans better. Tonight, there was no debating as DeMarcus Cousins dominated the Grizzlies from start to finish.

“It feels good to finally kind of tear down that way, as you can say – break out of the shell, whatever the case may be,” said Cousins. “At the same time, man, it feels even better to get this win. That’s what it’s about at the end of the day.”

Cousins, whose quickness and agility are disguised by his 6-11, 270-pound frame, attacked the Memphis defense in every manner possible.

“He made shots from the outside (5-of-9 on three-pointers), and that made us come out, and then he got going,” said Grizzlies center Marc Gasol. “He went into the paint and took a few dribbles and it was hard for me to trust who was behind me at times, but he got going and you have to give him credit.”

Early on, Cousins was all the offense the Pelicans could muster.  New Orleans shot 28.6 percent in the first half, missing several layups and going 3-for-12 from beyond the arc. If not for Boogie’s 16 points in the half and a Pelicans defensive effort that held Memphis to 41 points, New Orleans could have been headed for an embarrassing home defeat. Instead, the Pelicans went into the break down only seven points.

“I thought we played well offensively in the first half, we just missed a lot,” said Head Coach Alvin Gentry. “We missed seven layups right at the basket. And I thought we were getting the ball where we wanted to get it to, we just didn’t finish.”

Davis and Cousins found their rhythm together in the third quarter.  New Orleans opened the period on a 23-5 run, including a stretch of 21 unanswered points. “The Big Two” scored 17 of the 23 points, with Cousins scoring nine and Davis right behind with eight.

“In the first half, we kind of played at their pace,” Cousins said. “We came in a talked it over (at halftime) and coach told us we needed to speed up the game and play at our own pace. So, we came out and did that and it played to our advantage.”

Solomon Hill agreed that changing the tempo of the game was key. “Once we get out and we get running, now a team like Memphis has to play at a faster pace and at the pace we play,” he said. “They can’t control the game. For the first two quarters, they controlled the game and it was in their favor. Once we got out and once we got running and took care of the turnovers, we were able to put it in our hands.”

The Pelicans outscored Memphis 32-13 in the third, turning the seven-point deficit into a 12-point lead heading into the fourth.

Cousins closed the deal in the fourth, going right at Gasol repeatedly.  He was able to finish at the rim, even after drawing contact, completing a trio of three-point plays down the stretch.

Though Memphis would have their best offensive quarter of the game in the fourth with 28 points, DeMarcus Cousins would not let this one get away. He scored 11 points over the final 12 minutes.

At points during his tenure in New Orleans, Cousins had stretches where he stalled ball movement while trying to figure out his role. Tonight, he was decisive in his moves, whether it was pulling up for a jumper or attacking his man off the dribble.

“I’ve caught the ball traditionally and just kind of hesitated with whatever I wanted to do,” said Cousins. “It’s been hurting my ability to make plays or even score when it matters, so just getting the ball and making a quick decision and going to what I want to do, it definitely helped out tonight.”

“He had a great night,” added Gentry. “And it’s not like it’s not anything he’s done before. The decisions that he made on when to go, baseline or to the middle of the floor…I thought they were all very calculated. We did a good job also of spacing the floor back out and creating driving lanes so that he could drive to the basket.”

Cousins is starting to figure out the balance between fitting in and standing out.  If Davis and Cousins are truly on the same page, it could be a nightmare for Pelicans opponents over the final 11 games.

“He played unbelievable tonight,” added AD. “When he plays like that we’re a tough team to beat. It’s going to be tough to do that every night but, if he can give us something similar every night we’re more than satisfied. But overall, even with him doing it other guys played well too. I think we’re starting to find our groove and figure out how to play with him here.”

“We still got a lot of work to do,” said Cousins. “Still making a lot of mistakes nightly, but we’re on the right path. We just got to take it a day at a time, keep growing and keep a positive mindset.”

 

 

Davis and Cousins lead the way as Pelicans top T-Wolves, 123-109

NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Pelicans picked up their fourth win in their last five games with a 123-109 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

After trailing 54-48 at the half, the Pelicans outscored Minnesota 75-55 after the break to pull away from the T-Wolves.

Anthony Davis led the way with 28 points and 12 rebounds, collecting his 42nd double-double of the season. DeMarcus Cousins returned from his one-game absence with 15 points and 11 boards. Jrue Holiday bounced back from a sluggish start to finish with 21 points and seven assists, while Solomon Hill continued his strong play as of late with 13 points, five boards and five assists.

Jamal Crawford (22 points) and E’Twaun Moore (14 points) led a bench unit that outscored Minnesota’s reserves 43-26.

“We are getting contributions from everywhere,” said Head Coach Alvin Gentry. “It’t not like we have to depend on one or two guys. I think everybody is stepping up. We’ve got some firepower off the bench. Jordan Crawford is playing great off the bench, but so is E’Twaun and so is Tim, (Frazier).”

Karl-Anthony Towns had a game-high 33 points for the Timberwolves, who lost their third straight game, all on the road.

Minnesota came out and picked the Pelicans apart in the halfcourt during the first quarter. The T-Wolves shot 65 percent in the opening period, including 50 percent from three-point range on their way to an early 34-28 lead.

The pace slowed considerably in the second, with both teams making eight field goals appeace and each scoring 20 points in the quarter.

Both teams did most of their scoring in the paint in the half, with the Pelicans holding a 26-24 edge down low.

At the outset of the second half, it would be Holiday who led the comeback for the Pels. Over the first 4:37 of the third quarter, he scored 10 of New Orleans’ 15 points, tying the game at 63 on a step back three.

Prior to the game, Gentry shifted his lineup by putting Tim Frazier in as the starting point guard and moving Holiday off the ball. For one game at least, it had the desired effect of getting Holiday into an agressive mindset offensively.

“I just thought having him be the guy that catches the pass after the initiation of the offense gave him the ability to, in one or two dribbles, be able to score,” said Gentry. “Or, in one or two dribbles, to be able to make a play. I thought it helped him out.”
“The last couple of games, I felt really comfortable,” added Holiday. “No reasons. Sometimes it happens. Obviously, basketball is up and down, and tonight I guess I had it.”

Anthony Davis would add 10 more in the quarter and the Pelicans would scorch the nets by shooting 15-for-21 (71.4 pct) from the floor on their way to outscoring Minnesota 40-30 in the third to take an 88-84 lead into the fourth.

After an early bucket by Towns to start the fourth, it was Jordan Crawford’s turn to get going. Crawford, who recently picked up a two-year contract with the team, scored eight straight points to give the Pelicans a 96-88 lead with just over 10 minutes to play.

Crawford has averaged 14.2 points per game since joining the Pels two weeks ago and has provided the scoring punch off the bench the team had been searching for since Langston Galloway was traded to Sacramento. Never one to shy away from a shot, Crawford has also brought confidence to the locker room as well.

“It’s just a focus,” said Crawford. “A focus that wants to win every game, and we have a chance to win every game. If we believe and play with a little confidence, things can happen for us.”

The Pelicans were able to maintain their focus throughout the fourth quarter. Defensively, they forced five turnovers and stymied any chances for a Minnesota comeback. On the offensive end, New Orleans shot nearly 54 percent and dominated the offensive glass with five offensive rebounds that led to six second chance points.

New Orleans also did an outstanding job in transition, outscoring the Timberwolves 33-13 in fast break points, which was a huge accomplishment considering the athletic talent on the Minnesota roster.

“They are really good offensively,” Gentry added. “You’ve got two guys out there that are very capable (Towns and Andrew Wiggins), and it keeps the pressure on you at all times. But other than that, I thought we did a pretty good job as far as defending them.”

“I just thought overall we played well.”

Still 4.5 games behind Denver for the eighth Western Conference playoff spot with only 12 games to play, the postseason seems like more than a long shot. But, if the Pelicans can close the season by figuring out an identity, fans may point to this recent stretch of solid basketball as the beginning of something good.

Solo star: Hill scores 30 as Pelicans blast Rockets

NEW ORLEANS – Solomon Hill scored a career-high 30 points and led the New Orleans Pelicans to a stunning 128-112 victory over the Houston Rockets Friday night at the Smoothie King Center.

MVP candidate James Harden collected his 18th triple-double of the season, with 41 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. However, no other Houston starter was allowed to reach double figures.

Hill, who also tied his career-high with seven assists was the catalyst for a Pelicans team that shot 53 percent from the floor on the offensive end and limited the high-scoring Rockets to 41.6 percent shooting on the defensive side of the ball.

Former Pelicans Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson were held to a combined 20 points on 7-of-22 shooting.

From the outset, Hill looked to establish himself as a threat offensively. He scored New Orleans’ first five points and finished the quarter with 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 4-for-5 from long distance.

“I’ve had a couple of games where I’ve come out hot in the first quarter,” said Hill. “Coach just told me to keep being aggressive. We just capitalized on some of the things they did and just took advantage of it.”

For Hill, who came into the night averaging 6.5 points per game, it was one of those nights when everything clicked. The fourth-year pro hadn’t scored 30 points in any game since high school.

“I just stayed aggressive,” he added. “Ryan Anderson and James Harden were guarding me most of the night, and they put Trevor Ariza on AD, and I just tried to take advantage of it.  Every night AD or Jrue is going to get (the opponent’s) best defender. I just have to take advantage of what they give me.”

After tonight’s performance, Hill is scoring 15.5 points over his last four games. It’s something his teammates and coaches know that he’s capable of.

“(He was) being aggressive, not being indecisive, especially going to the basket,” said Holiday. “Him being aggressive, starting off getting to the free throw line, especially him today, dictated our tempo.  That’s what we needed so, we’re going to need that every game.”

“(Hill) played great,” said Head Coach Alvin Gentry. “You know defensively, I think he did a great job.  You know obviously, Harden ends up with 41, but what we were trying to do was find him inside and try to get him off the three-point line.”

“Our whole thing was that we can survive Harden, even with a 50-point game, but we can’t survive with him having thirty and Trevor (Ariza) having 18 and somebody else having 21 and Ryan (Anderson) having 20. That’s where you really get into trouble.”

The Pelicans got a total team effort in beating a Rockets squad that won by 30 the last time they visited New Orleans.

“The other game after All-Star, everybody was just making shots,” said AD. “We kinda just took that away tonight and said if they’re going to beat us, James is going to have to go for whatever. We just wanted to make sure we took everybody out.”

Newly acquired Wayne Selden scored 11 points and made a trio of three-pointers. Jrue Holiday finished with 19 points and six assists with just one turnover in 28 minutes.  Anthony Davis had a good game with 24 points and 15 rebounds, but he didn’t need to be great for the Pelicans to pull this one off.

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New Orleans also got a boost from the play of Tim Frazier. Frazier, a Houston native, entered the game early after Jrue Holiday picked up a pair of quick fouls and continued to attack the heart of the Rockets’ defense.

Frazier finished the night with 14 points, six assists, five boards and two steals.

“I think we did a good job matching their pace,” Frazier said. “We were able to get up and down and get some good looks, lay ups and threes, and that kinda deflates a team when that’s how they play. They live off of long misses and turnovers and I think we took care of the ball tonight and made shots that made them have to take the ball out every time.”

Turnovers had been a huge problem for this team for most of the season, but the Pelicans are starting to value the ball more. In wins over Portland and now Houston, New Orleans had a combined 16 turnovers. They had 15 in Wednesday’s loss to Miami.

“We took care of the basketball and we got some easy looks in transition, which kinda slowed them down,” Davis added. “We were able to set our defense.”

A lot of what the Pelicans did tonight looked like the small-ball sets that the team tried earlier in the season.  Though the Pels seemed comfortable in their roles, they were once again playing without DeMarcus Cousins, who was out with injury. The Pelicans are now 2-0 without Cousins in the lineup, with both wins coming in convincing fashion. At some point the Pelicans will have to find a way to thrive with both big men on the floor.

“He’s played eight games, nine games, whatever it is,” Gentry said. “Things don’t happen that quickly. But I know one thing; I know that he’s trying every way that he possible can to fit in and do what we ask him to do, and that’s all we’ll ask any player to do.”

“I think guys just have to step up,” said Davis. “Of course, when DeMarcus is out, roles change.”

“Of course, when (DeMarcus) is playing, we have to change it back; kinda slowing it down and playing from the inside out. I think what we did tonight, we moved the basketball. We move the basketball, whether he’s playing or not, it makes the game a lot easier. That’s all we have to do is move the basketball, and it’ll find itself in the right hands.”