How can Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins grow together?

What can Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins do to maximize their talents and help the New Orleans Pelicans reach the playoffs?

Anthony Davis was the happiest man in New Orleans on the morning of Feb. 20 this year.

The trade heard around the world culminated at the stroke of midnight as All-Star Weekend concluded.

DeMarcus Cousins was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.

This specific trade gave everyone the impression that the Pelicans could make a strong push to secure the final playoff spot as an eighth seed. Teams like the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers were also making waves to nab that last seed, but the feeling was it was the Pelicans’ spot to lose.

In the 17 games that DeMarcus Cousins played since the trade to New Orleans, he averaged 24.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. During those first few games, Cousins had some decent performances but had a hard time meshing his skill-set with Anthony Davis.

Certain crucial plays would break down on the offensive end, when Cousins would grab a defensive rebound and try to initiate the break. But in the end, that break would cause a turnover or an ill-advised pass to Anthony Davis for a three-point shot.

Davis shot 29 percent from beyond the arc and Cousins was nowhere near the basket to scoop the offensive rebound.

Having both big men away from the basket on the offensive end would force their teammates to battle for the 50/50 loose balls. Most of the time players like Solomon Hill or Jrue Holiday had virtually no shot in grabbing those rebounds against the opposing power forwards or centers.

Pelicans didn’t fair well for the rest of the season

They eventually won seven of the 17 games that Cousins suited up for after his trade to the Pelicans, but those games haven’t even scratched the surface of this pairing’s potential.

But that’s what happens when you trade for the best center in the league and pair him up with the best power forward at the very of the season. Their talent could nab you some wins in the short-term, but the on-court chemistry hasn’t been developed between them.

It took Kevin Durant nearly half the season to fully integrate himself into Golden State’s schemes, and the same should ring true for DeMarcus Cousins.

So what needs to happen?

For the best frontcourt in the NBA to reach its potential, the two will need to address some glaring mistakes that were made in those 17 games DeMarcus Cousins suited up for the team.

The key word will need to be consistency.

Both Cousins and Davis are arguably the top playmaking big men in the league, so they’ll need to take advantage of that. They can play the high-low game where Cousins handles the ball at the 3-point line key and pass the ball to a cutting Davis.

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This would force the defense to readjust in the paint in the next few possessions where if they double Davis, he can make a pass to Cousins at the 3-point line. For Boogie, he shot nearly 35 percent from three last season, so he’ll be able to knock down the open 3-point shot.

Another play that both All-Stars could utilize is the pick-and-roll or pop action. The key for this action is to have either man handle the ball while the other sets the screen below the 3-point line.

The reason why is because Anthony Davis is a 29 percent 3-point shooter, so his defender would sag off from him and focus on Cousins. Also, you always need either man to cut to the basket so the other could grab the offensive rebound.

Both Cousins and Davis average nearly two offensive rebounds per game. Crashing the basket for the offensive rebound would demoralize the opposing defense and give the Pelicans an extra possession or easy basket.

Another avenue they could entertain

The major key for both DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis on the offensive end is playing off the ball, setting up double drag screens for both Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo while they initiate the offense.

Even setting up multiple pin-downs for shooters to get wide open shots is a useful strategy. These plays are key to get everyone involved.

The Pelicans will struggle if they allow DeMarcus Cousins to play isolation basketball on multiple possessions or have Anthony Davis take ill-advised jumpers from 18 feet.

Cousins and Davis are a nightmare matchup for small-ball teams like the Golden State Warriors. This season will be a litmus test to see if these two All-Stars can wreak havoc in the Western Conference and finally make the playoffs.

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Will Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins be the most fearsome front court in the league or wither away in the brutal Western Conference?

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