New Orleans Pelicans grades: Despite wonderful Anthony Davis effort Pelicans fall to Jazz
The New Orleans Pelicans fell down big early and never recovered. Grades from a second straight loss.
Entering Saturday night’s game in Utah the New Orleans Pelicans were just trying to forget a poor performance against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night and steal a win. With the Jazz missing starting power forward Derrick Favors and the Pelicans having the services of Anthony Davis after he left the Clippers game early there were reasons to believe the Pelicans had a chance. Then the game started and only Davis showed up for the first quarter for New Orleans and the Pelicans ended up digging too deep of a hole and fell for the second straight night.
87. 69. Final. 101. 118
JRUE HOLIDAY. D. It was surprising to see <strong><a href=. PG. New Orleans Pelicans
F. The Pelicans needed someone to step up and help Anthony Davis keep the team in the game. <strong><a href=. SG. New Orleans Pelicans. ERIC GORDON
A+. The Pelicans could not have asked for anything more from Anthony Davis. In the first quarter he scored the mass majority of the Pelicans points off of lobs, jumpers and dunks. It was a glimpse into how the entire game would be as Davis finished with 36 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks and just didn’t get enough help. The fact that New Orleans repeatedly pulled within single digits was a credit to Davis’ greatness. . PF/C. New Orleans Pelicans. ANTHONY DAVIS
C. New Orleans Pelicans. OMER ASIK. F. More on this in the next few days but it is becoming almost impossible to play <strong><a href=
RYAN ANDERSON. C-. It was the second straight dud performance from <strong><a href=. PF/C. New Orleans Pelicans
C. It felt like <strong><a href=. SF. New Orleans Pelicans. DANTE CUNNINGHAM
C. New Orleans Pelicans. ALEXIS AJINCA. INC. It actually felt like <strong><a href=
D. Yet again <strong><a href=. SF. New Orleans Pelicans. ALONZO GEE
SF. New Orleans Pelicans. ISH SMITH. C. It felt a bit like <strong><a href=
C. <strong><a href=. SF. New Orleans Pelicans. TONEY DOUGLAS
Other observations:
- Figuring out how to fix the center spot is hard but New Orleans needs to do it. 40 plus minute nights are becoming too common for Anthony Davis this early in the season.
- The problem there is Omer Asik seems completely broken right now and not at all a fit for this system. Asik is constantly slow up the court and ignored on offense meaning the Pelicans are playing four on five fairly often. Moving him to bench units will only make matters worse so benching him is the only real solution.
- The wing defense needs to be better.
- The three game winning streak seems so far away. The Clippers/Jazz back-to-back were both games that reminded fans of the early season Pelicans which is tough. They aren’t this bad but they probably aren’t as good as that three game streak during which Ryan Anderson played the best he has in years either.
- It is a shame to waste that type of performance from Anthony Davis.
The Pelicans get back to action on Tuesday when they host the Memphis Grizzlies before a game with the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Before the game Alvin Gentry said it looks like both Norris Cole and Tyreke Evans will play Tuesday barring setbacks.