Pelicans Week in Review: Winning never felt so bland

Observation of the Week

The Pelicans troubles do not lie with the stars of the team. Despite the bellows from national media, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins do work as a duo. When on the court together, the Pelicans have a net rating of 10.2 and an incredible defensive rating of 95.6.

The Pelicans depth is the issue. Specifically, the minutes played at backup power forward. Right now that battle between Darius Miller and Josh Smith is leaning heavily towards Miller but every game is a different story.

Here, that battle is broken down.

Play of the Week

The play of the week is as obvious as it is beautiful. It was one of Leigh Ellis’ very solid plays this past week and it may be the best play the Pels have all year.

News of the Week

With Rajon Rondo’s return nearing, some have questioned what it means for the Pelicans. How will he be utilized and who should he play alongside? These are the questions answered here.

Worry of the Week

Dante Cunningham has been playing as well as the dust-ridden Sega Genesis that’s currently sitting idly somewhere in your garage. He is averaging just 4.6 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, and .7 assists per game.

He’s also shooting 29% from the field and 23.5% from three-point range. His minimal production has made him one of the worst starters in the NBA and his starting spot is definitely not ensured once Rondo comes back.

I wrote back in the offseason about how the Pelicans may need to accept the three-guard lineup and now they may need to feature it as part of their starting lineup. Rondo, Holiday, and Moore could all work together and their smaller size is balanced out by Boogie and AD.

Cunningham has simply not been the player he was last season and needs fewer minutes as soon as the Pelicans can afford to do that.

Look Ahead

The Pelicans are looking at a very tough upcoming schedule. They play the Indian Pacers, Toronto Raptors, and Los Angeles Clippers. Those teams have a combined record of 15/13.

These teams are the ones the Pelicans would like to compare themselves to. Grabbing two wins in three games would really prove they are ready to be a legitimate team and not one that simply grabs bad wins against the league’s worst.