New Orleans Pelicans Player(s) of the Week: Boogie and Brow

Each week, I will choose one player to highlight as New Orleans Pelicans Player of the Week. We’d love to hear your feedback, in the comments or on Twitter.

This week, I’ll do a dual player of the week focusing on the team’s scintillating big man duo, whose video game-like numbers have yet to translate into team success.

The New Orleans Pelicans have arguably the best big man duo in the NBA. They may just possess the most talented front-court pairing of all-time. Just look at the pairings raw stats and it will tell the story of just how unique these players both are.

Anthony Davis in three games is averaging 31.7 points per game, 16.7 rebounds while shooting 53 percent from the field and 45 percent from three. His raw numbers are simply jaw-dropping.

Now, his fellow All-Star teammate DeMarcus Cousins is no slouch either. Cousins is averaging 28.3 points per game, 11.7 rebounds per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and averaging 5 assists per contest.

This is nothing new for those that have followed this talented tandem. The crazy stat-lines these two have put up have become their expected production. Unfortunately, what also has followed is a losing record.

With a whole year together, they now have a chance to change the narrative. So far this season, the team has had its struggles. What has not struggled is the play of Cousins and Davis. In fact, Cousins and Davis are +11.4 together, per 100 possessions, in this young season.

The question of whether these two can fit next to one another should be shifted to “what is the best way to build around them.” It is clear the Pelicans coaching staff is still figuring out that conundrum themselves. Throughout the first three games, there have been glimpses of ball-movement and free-flowing basketball. However, during each game, fans have also seen dreaded isolation ball and slow developing post-ups.

Part of that falls on Davis and Cousins. So far this season, when teams have made their runs the Pelicans duo sways away from the game plan. Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins tend to force long shots or post-ups rather than running the offense. In some cases it is understood, after all, they are the undoubted stars of this team.

But, as was the case in the third quarter of the Memphis Grizzlies game and the early 4th quarter against the Lakers, it’s this method of offense that simply doesn’t work. Cousins and Davis, for all their superb individual talents, have to trust their current teammates.

They need to remain willing passers during moments of adversity and trust that the ball will find its way back to them. Chucking up long three pointers, or out of rhythm post-ups is a recipe for bad offense.

Next: Pelicans survive a late scare for their first win of the season

With their immense talent, it is no longer a question of whether the duo of Brow and Boogie can succeed.  To ultimately take that next step towards winning they now must learn to make those around them better.