Some new that the New Orleans Pelicans would be competitive in the wild Western Conference, but what most more then likely didn’t expect was the New Orleans Pelicans season come down to one game. If the Pelicans win, they’re in. If they don’t, the Pelicans have to hope that the Oklahoma City Thunder lose to the worst team in the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Pelicans face a tough test with the red hot Spurs, but it is indeed Anthony Davis’ biggest game of his young career.
Anthony Davis has been a total monster this year. The power forward out of Kentucky is averaging 24.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game in 66 games this season for the Pelicans. Davis was also the closet to getting a quadruple double this season, as he had 36 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, and 9 blocks. Davis played 50 minutes in the game, as the Pelicans did end up losing to the Nuggets 118-111. Davis however almost gave us the first quadruple double of the 21st century, so we applaud it for that. Is Davis ready to even take his game up to the next level? We could see that on Wednesday when the Pelicans take on the Spurs.
Many people were joining the Anthony Davis for MVP movement throughout the off-season, as the 22 year-old Davis was receiving the hype that was behind the Pelicans using the number one pick in the draft on him back in 2012. Davis has put up MVP like numbers, but is he truly a MVP until he gets the Pelicans in the playoffs? He finally has his chance to after being patient with the Pelicans rebuilding the first two years of his career, and if he gets the Pelicans into the playoffs, it’s something that will most likely never be forgotten by anyone that follows the NBA closely. They would remember when Anthony Davis beat the toughest team in the Western Conference for a decade to make it into his first playoffs.
Everything is stacking up for the Pelicans to try to win this game, but it would’ve helped had the Thunder have lost to the Blazers. That would’ve meant all the Pelicans had to do was beat the Timberwolves to make the playoffs for the first time since Chris Paul was traded to the Clippers. The Pelicans and Thunder would’ve likely finished with the same record, but due to the Pelicans wining the season series, they have the 3-1 advantage on the Thunder, and Anthony Davis’ 3rd career three-pointer over Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant to win a Pelicans-Thunder game, could be the difference maker.
That was perhaps the biggest shot of Davis’ career as well. With Jrue Holiday back from injury, a healthy Tyreke Evans, Ryan Anderson back from injury, and a healthy Eric Gordon along with a strong bench of Quincy Pondexter, Norris Cole, and Luke Babbitt, the Pelicans have a squad that can make the playoffs, and Anthony Davis will have to play at the MVP level he was given at the start of the season if he wants to get his team into the playoffs for the first time in his career.
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