As the NBA regular season starts to roll to its end, the majority of teams are already planning fishing trips after not making the NBA Playoffs. While serious season eulogies are going on over at Hardwood Paroxysm, we here at The Friendly Bounce are taking a look at the important part of each team’s season as we bid them farewell, the fun stuff. So enjoy and feel free to add your entries to each category in the comments below and follow along with the entire series over the next two weeks.
Heading into the 2015-16 season the New Orleans Pelicans were supposed to be a team that pushed for the sixth seed in the Western Conference. With Anthony Davis and a host of capable role players, New Orleans should have been good and Davis was a common pick for NBA MVP this summer. Then everyone on the roster got hurt and the Pelicans limped into the lottery.
Most Vineable Player:
Taylor Smith (@TaylorBojangles): I can hardly remember him playing this season because the Luke Babbitt/Tim Frazier Pelicans era has just been so much fun, but it’s gotta be Anthony Davis. The Brow’s 59-and-20 performance against the Pistons is undoubtedly the highlight in a season of lowlights for NOLA. It also served as an encouraging reminder that for all their issues this season, at least they still have this guy locked up for the long-term.
Ryne Prinz (@Ryneprinz): It’s hard to argue against The Brow, even with his lack of games played. He’s just that exciting. His rare combination of length, athleticism and skill lends itself to highlights on the regular. Hopefully, we’ll be able to enjoy more than 61 games of Anthony Davis next season.
Dan Favale (@Danfavale):Anthony Davis is kind of becoming an underrated highlight machine. Yes, he dunks, often obliterating rims. But he’s getting craftier with his back to the basket, and his footwork off the bounce is getting guard-esque. But yeah, the obliterating rims thing.
Matt Cianfrone (@Matt_Cianfrone): This one is easy. Anthony Davis is a destroyer of worlds and rims. He may be one of the three most Vineable players in the entire league.
10 Word Recaps:
20 players have started games for the Pelicans this season. (Taylor)
Another season of Pelicans basketball, another season of Davis injuries. (Ryne)
LOL, the Pelicans actually gave Omer Asik $58 million willingly. (Dan)
We will always have the night Brow dropped 59 points. (Dan)
So, ummm, yeah. Continuity didn’t work out as planned. (Matt)
Turns out Babbitt and Ajinca aren’t better than lottery picks. (Matt)
Highlights:
Anthony Davis makes this look very easy:
(Vine via Bleacher Report)
Game winning oops are pretty chill:
(Vine via the NBA)
Thankfully the Pelicans miss a lot of shots or we wouldn’t have gotten to see highlights like this:
(Vine via Jack Winter)
Other fun things:
Anthony Davis put unibrows on his All-Star Game sneakers.
Alvin Gentry has a theory on the Pelicans injury luck:
An all-time press conference from Alvin Gentry. Made a call for a voodoo doctor or anyone who can exorcise Pelicans' injury issues.
— Justin Verrier (@JustinVerrier) March 29, 2016
Gentry on the players on the roster:
Gentry also said the Pelicans had "more people in our [team] picture than the Saints did."
— Justin Verrier (@JustinVerrier) March 29, 2016
Gentry on the D-League players view on the Pelicans:
More Gentry: "Every guy in the D-League right now is sitting by his phone going, ‘Ohhhh-K. This might be my chance.’ What are we gonna do?”
— Justin Verrier (@JustinVerrier) March 29, 2016