Apr 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) dunks over San Antonio Spurs forward Marco Belinelli (3) during the first quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans Pelicans
By John Armstrong
Record: 45-37
First Round Opponent: Golden State Warriors
Season Series: Warriors won 3-1
Prior to the season, I predicted the Pelicans would make the playoffs. Although I might have overrated them in the preseason, they fought, they scratched, they clawed … and whatever it is Pelicans do … and they’re in. I also predicted they might win a series.
Yeah, not happening. Anthony Davis is right where I thought and said he’d be and he’s going to have an elite showing in the four (maybe five) games he’s going to play in the Playoffs. Because he and his fellow Pelicans will be playing the league’s best team, the Golden State Warriors.
These two teams have played four times this season, with Golden State controlling the series 3-1. Davis missed two of the four meetings, but in the two games he played (including the one win), he averaged 29.5 points per game on 60 percent shooting.
Essentially, Davis can get his own against the Warriors’ number one ranked defense. Usually Draymond Green proves to be a mismatch in the Warriors’ favor because of his athletic versatility, despite being short for the power forward position, but Davis’ length and elite athleticism negate that advantage.
It’ll be up to the rest of the Pelicans to assist their star against the best team in the league. Tyreke Evans has had a stellar season as the primary ball handler. He uses his unique combination of size, strength and crafty ballhandling to maneuver in and out of the paint, draw defenders, and set up open teammates, most notably Davis at his favorite spot at the top of the key. Evans is also a decent finisher at the rim and excels and drawing and finishing through contact.
The other teammates he’ll be looking for are his (finally healthy) shooters Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson, and Eric Gordon. Gordon and Holiday can both put the ball on the floor so they keep defenders honest. If New Orleans wants to compete with Golden State, they’ll need to be able to stretch the floor and knock down as many threes as possible. They now have all their weapons, but they’ll need to execute and keep turnovers at a minimum.
Where they’ll struggle is defensively. Golden State has premier offensive talent all around the perimeter and the Green/Harrison Barnes combo will keep Davis away from the rim, leaving Omer Asik susceptible to basket cuts and weakside drives. The most obvious challenge will be defending Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. They’re known for their shooting prowess, but they’re also aggressive attacking the basket, drawing fouls and setting up open other open shooters.
The bench matchups are also a disparity. The Pelicans’ bench has been up and down. At their best, Norris Cole and Alexis Ajinca provide solid offensive minutes, while Dante Cunningham and Quincy Pondexter provide energy and defense. However, the Warriors boast bench players such as David Lee, Andre Iguodala, and Shaun Livingston that could and would start for many other teams around the league. Golden State’s depth will prove to be an issue; Their starters will get ample rest, while the key rotation players for New Orleans will be logging heavy minutes.
In order to have a fighting chance against the Warriors, the Pelicans need to come out and fight like they did against San Antonio in the season’s final game that clinched their playoff berth. They can’t play like they’re happy to be there.
They must go out to Oracle Arena in Game 1 and act not only like they belong, but like they know they can win. I’m intrigued to see how Davis performs in his first (of many) playoff series and watch his emergence into the league’s upper tier when the lights are at their brightest.
Next: The East