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NBA Power Rankings: 2014-15 Western Conference Projections

By Shane Young

May 29, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (left) and San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) react during the second half in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
May 29, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (left) and San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) react during the second half in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA Power Rankings
Mar 22, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) blocks a shot by Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Heat 105-95. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

10.  New Orleans Pelicans — 41-41

Hardest month:  December  (.588)

Weakest month:  January  (.464)

Back-to-backs:  20

If you don’t open your eyes and catch every glimpse of Anthony Davis between now and April 2015, you’re only guaranteed to miss the greatest season from any 21-year-old in history.

Leading the frontcourt for Team USA, the three-year power forward (three years!) is setting unprecedented marks in the NBA, for any position.

Davis played last season primarily at age 20 before his March birthday, and turned on the jets after the All-Star break.  In league history, how many 20-year-olds have recorded a PER greater than 26.5 while playing 35+ minutes per night? 

One;  Davis, the newest attraction in New Orleans.  Mardi Gras and Drew Brees’ Saints take a backseat this coming season.  In addition, the Pelicans will own the league’s title of “most entertaining team with the worst name.”

Monty Williams should’ve just fell over in disgust once starting point guard Jrue Holiday suffered the stress fracture in his tibia, since any postseason dream was snapped in half.  Maybe my Louisiana people know the answer to this … but when it rains, does it indeed pour, too?  If so, it fits.  Eric Gordon was forced to undergo yet another arthroscopic knee surgery that ended his season in March, and it left the Pelicans stuck at 34 victories.

Holiday’s absence left a more hurtful mark, nonetheless, solely because of his striking attack as a well-rounded point guard.  He gained the recognition in Philadelphia for being the primary scorer late in the game for Doug Collins, but somewhere along the line, his court vision got misrepresented.

Before Holiday’s injury (Jan. 8), New Orleans had the fourth highest Assist-to-Turnover Ratio (1.67), trailing only the Clippers, Spurs, and Trail Blazers — all top five Western Conference seeds.  After Holiday was removed from the lineup and backup Brian Roberts filled in, the Pelicans dropped to 23rd overall in the same category.  Every contender was more precarious with their possessions, while New Orleans couldn’t do anything to mitigate the problems.

In the same dilemma as the Nuggets, Monty Williams can bank on the team’s defensive identity to flip a complete 180 degrees, based on keeping the starters durable and replacing Jason Smith with Omer Asik.  In Houston, a team scolded for their defense during the regular season and the playoffs, Asik’s services were primarily for offense when Dwight Howard needed time on the bench or had foul trouble.  It’s not to say Asik is a horrible defender, however, as he did accomplish a top 10 ranking in Defensive Real Plus-Minus last season during his time on the floor.

Everyone claims I’m too optimistic about injury luck and players returning for a full season.  In the society we live in, why should anyone feel the need to sense bad health?  The Pelicans take off as far as Davis’ historical year will take them … unfortunately, it’s unrealistic to reach that special number of 49.