New Orleans Pelicans Need To Let Anthony Davis Anchor The Defense
The gaudy offensive numbers are nothing short of remarkable, but the New Orleans Pelicans need to enable Anthony Davis to focus on defense.
The first week of the 2016-17 NBA regular season has essentially been the Anthony Davis show. He’s posted numbers that no one has ever recorded, flashed new facets of his game, and reestablished himself as the future of the Association.
If the New Orleans Pelicans are going to turn things around as a team, however, there’s one thing that Davis must do: anchor the defense.
It seems insane to ask Davis to do anything more than he already has. Through two games, Davis is averaging 47.5 points, 16.0 rebounds, 3.5 offensive boards, 4.0 assists, 3.5 steals, and 3.0 blocks on 52.3 percent shooting from the field.
Statistically speaking, there’s nothing more that Davis could be doing without further exceeding realistic expectations.
Having said that, the Pelicans are a team with a depleted roster and an absence of identity. It’s lost two games by single digits, including a mere eight-point loss to the Golden State Warriors.
According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, four-time scoring champion and new Warriors superstar Kevin Durant believes that Davis is going to lead the NBA in scoring in 2016-17.
"“[Anthony Davis is] probably going to lead the league in scoring this year easily … 50 for him is a good game, and now [he’s like] move it to the next one,” Durant said. “It’s kind of a customary night for him, so we’ve got to be prepared tonight.”"
That may prove true, but there’s another area in which New Orleans must allow Davis to focus.
The sample size is small, but New Orleans is allowing 114.5 points per game and 104.2 points per 100 possessions through two games. Davis has been exceptional on defense, but the amount of energy he’s expending is unlikely to be sustainable.
For that reason, the Pelicans should embrace the notion of potentially sacrificing offense for something that better fits the strength of the personnel: defense.
Davis made his name with the Kentucky Wildcats on the strength of his defensive prowess and potential. His size, length, and athleticism offered immediate reasons for intrigue. His instincts as a shot-blocker and capabilities against the pick and roll earned all-time hype.
Yet, during his first four NBA seasons, Davis’ offense has far exceeded his defense as far as consistency and impact are concerned.
Davis has career averages of 9.7 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. He’s led the NBA in blocks in two different seasons and has averaged 10.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, and 1.4 steals in the three years since his rookie campaign.
True as that all may be, Davis hasn’t quite made the defensive impact that many expected him to.
The Pelicans ranked No. 25 in defensive efficiency—points allowed per 100 possessions—during the 2013-14 regular season. New Orleans was then No. 22 in defensive efficiency in 2014-15 and No. 28 in 2015-16.
Though it’s impossible to put that all on Davis, those numbers fail to reflect a team with a genuine defensive anchor.
This isn’t to say that Davis isn’t doing enough, but instead that the coaching staff hasn’t put him in the best of positions. The Pelicans need as much offense as they can possibly find, but Davis’ best use would be as the anchor to the defense.
It’s hard to knock an explosive offense, but New Orleans’ execution begins and ends with Davis—a sign that he’ll need to carry them to a vast majority of their victories.
12 of the Top 13 teams in defensive efficiency made the NBA Playoffs in 2016, with the only exception being the Utah Jazz—a team that was eliminated on the final day of the season.
Again, elite offensive teams tend to make the playoffs, but Davis is on somewhat of an offensive island. Thus, while it may be exciting to see him go off as a dominant scorer, there are more efficient ways for the Pelicans to achieve victory.
With a transcendent defensive player and a generally weak supply of additional firepower, the optimal course of action would be to focus on building the defense around Davis.
Must Read: This is Blake Griffin's chance to save L.A.
Davis doesn’t necessarily have to sacrifice his scoring, but the Pelicans’ best bet at making the 2017 NBA Playoffs would be to help him become the defensive anchor he’s capable of being.