NBA: 30 Storylines Driving The 2015-16 Season

Apr 25, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams talks with forward Anthony Davis (23) during the first half in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Pelicans – The Growth of Anthony Davis

By many estimations, Anthony Davis will soon eclipse Lebron James as the greatest basketball player in the world. His abilities thus far are incredible, and odds are he is likely to improve over the next couple of years. The future of the Pelicans, and this season especially, hinge on his growth and improvement as a superstar talent and leader.

It’s no secret that the Western Conference has only gotten better and stronger this summer. With the exception of perhaps the reigning champs, the Golden State Warriors, the teams who dominated the West last season have gone the distance to make their teams all the more talented and deeper.

The New Orleans Pelicans didn’t exactly do much to improve their roster. As a matter of fact, their roster appears almost identical to the one that saw them nab the 8th seed in the West. This season, they can greatly improve their chances of advancing past the first round by moving up in the conference and getting a more favorable 3-6 or 4-5 matchup in the first round.

A returning Jrue Holiday will certainly help the team turn things around. He helped the Pelicans to a solid record in the West before being taken out of action shortly before the start of the post-season. His contributions, along with those of Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans, will be huge for relieving some of the pressure put on Anthony Davis.

Next: Pistons: What Now?