Predicting the final records of each NBA team
By Brad Rowland
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans were battered by injuries last season, but New Orleans still managed to post a respectable 34-48 overall mark, and that provides optimism as they head into the 2014-2015 campaign. Any discussion about the Pelicans centers around power forward Anthony Davis, and he is, without question, the best player on this roster and already one of the top ten players in the NBA.
At the age of 20 for most of the season, the former number one overall pick averaged 20.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game, and he is still getting better. Davis already possesses the tools to be a dominant defender in the NBA, and they began to manifest during last season. Now, the rest of the Pelicans roster is much healthier, and that should allow Davis to focus slightly more on being the defensive anchor that many, including myself, predict that he will be.
Ryan Anderson and Jrue Holiday are both back in full for this year’s edition of the Pelicans, and they appeared in 22 and 34 games, respectively, last season. Anderson is not a projected starter for this team after the addition of Omer Asik at the center position, but he is an elite sixth man, and he proved that by averaging 19.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season in limited action. In the case of Holiday, it should be must-see TV to watch Holiday and Davis run the pick-and-roll together this season, and at the very least, New Orleans should reap the benefits of the player they dealt two number one picks to acquire.
The wing is certainly the biggest question mark for New Orleans, and that begins and ends with Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans. Both players are paid handsomely, but Gordon was merely a league-average starter last season and Evans has battled his jump shot to point where he shot a ghastly 22.1 percent from 3-point distance a year ago. If they can both contribute 60 or more games of solid production, that would certainly help, but there are concerns about whether the duo can play effectively together, and will Holiday back and Davis developing, there may not be enough shot opportunities to go around.
The presence of Anthony Davis makes this team a fringe playoff contender immediately, and if they were in the East, I would have the Pelicans penciled in for a spot in late April. However, the rest of the cast has too many issues, and not even Davis can force me to vault them ahead of any of last season’s playoff outfits.
Projected Record: 41-41, 10th in West