Fansided

New Orleans Pelicans announce Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon are out for season

By Brad Rowland

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Apr 6, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Tyreke Evans (1) and forward Anthony Davis (23) s[eak with referee Haywoode Workman (66) during the third quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. The Blazers won the game 100-94. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 6, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Tyreke Evans (1) and forward Anthony Davis (23) s[eak with referee Haywoode Workman (66) during the third quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. The Blazers won the game 100-94. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /

With just four games remaining in the 2013-2014 season, the New Orleans Pelicans have

zero

incentive to push their superstar, Anthony Davis, to play through injury, and as a result, the team has ruled out both Davis and shooting guard Eric Gordon for the remainder of the campaign.

Here is the text from the team’s official release:

"The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that forward/center Anthony Davis (back spasms) and guard Eric Gordon (left knee) will miss the remainder of the season. Davis was examined by team physicians, who determined that his injury will require 1-2 weeks of rest and rehabilitation.Gordon will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee next week and is expected to make a full recovery."

The 21-year-old Davis has emerged as one of the best players in the entire NBA, averaging 20.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game (26.59 PER), but after he missed Wednesday night’s loss with back spasms, that was the final straw for the team in pulling the plug. It’s impossible to knock New Orleans for doing this, especially with their current record of 32-46, and frankly, it’s the right move.

In the case of Gordon, the 25-year-old shooting guard has a long track record of injury, and he hasn’t appeared in a game since March 21st as a result of knee trouble. While he isn’t the same type of superstar that Davis has been, Gordon has flashed high-end ability, and the Pelicans have a large monetary investment that makes it quite defensible to shut him down as well.

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