New Orleans Pelicans: 5 keys to series vs. Blazers

4. Limit the X-factor

Standing at 7’0″, 280 pounds, Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic is the biggest of big men. While sometimes plagued by inconsistency, Nurkic has the ability to own the restricted area, using his size to bully opponents and draw fouls, giving Portland a third option next to Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.

DeMarcus Cousins is someone who could handle Nurkic down low, as the big man weighs 270 pounds and has the foot speed to stay in front of the Bosnian behemoth, but as we all know, he’s out recovering from an Achilles tear.

Against most centers in today’s perimeter-centric league, Anthony Davis has an advantage, but at 253 pounds, he comes off as a lightweight compared to Nurkic. The pros of playing Davis at center far outweigh the cons, but there’s a risk that comes with doing so against the likes of Nurkic and the Blazers.

Over the course of a seven-game series, the physicality of a guy like Nurkic will wear Davis down, making it harder for him to play like the superstar he is. If Nurkic is able to get Davis into some foul trouble, it could swing a crucial game in favor of the Blazers.

New Orleans could counter with starting Emeka Okafor at center, allowing Davis to conserve some energy for the offensive side while almost certainly keeping him out of foul trouble.

Listed at 253 pounds like Davis, Okafor would have a tough time slowing down the bigger Nurkic, but without any offensive responsibilities, 100 percent of his energy will be used to slow down Nurkic, making it an interesting tactic to use should head coach Alvin Gentry deem it necessary.

The downside to the move would be the shrinking of the floor that comes with Okafor out on the court. Depending on how Nurkic is playing, the trade-off might be worth it.