January 26, 2018. That was the unfortunate day that new orleans Pelicans star center DeMarcus Cousins ruptured his Achilles, an injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season. New Orleans was riding high at the time. They won the game against the Rockets that Cousins got hurt in, which was their fourth straight win. It was also their seventh win in eight games as their record improved to 27-21.
Early struggles without DeMarcus
Things were a bit rocky for the Pelicans at the start without the four-time All-Star in the lineup. They lost their next two games and six of their next seven.
To try to soften the huge blow they received via the injury of Cousins a tad, the team acquired Nikola Mirotic from the Chicago Bulls in a trade. While he was showing signs of the impact he could have, New Orleans lost their first three games with him on the roster.
Six-game winning streak
Those early struggles have dissipated. The Pelicans won their sixth game in a row with a 125-116 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night. That six-game winning streak is the second-longest currently going on in the NBA, only behind the Rockets’ 13. New Orleans has had their share of battles recently but have found a way to prevail. They trailed by seven yesterday at halftime in a game that remained close until the end.
Two games during the win streak went into overtime, while another went into double overtime.
The unstoppable play of Anthony Davis
Davis, who turns 25 on March 11, has been playing out of his mind during the team’s six-game unblemished stretch. During the win streak, he is putting up ridiculous averages of 41.5 points, 15.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals, and 3.2 blocks.
He has shot 54.2 percent from the field, 39.1 percent on threes, and 82.2 percent (on 12.2 attempts per game) from the charity stripe.
Monday night’s performance against the Suns was one for the ages as Davis compiled a season-high 53 points along with 18 rebounds and five blocks. Phoenix had no answer for him as he continuously went to the foul line for an absurd 26 attempts.
Where the Pelicans stand
New Orleans currently has a 34-26 record which is good for the fifth best record in the West (tied with the Portland Trail Blazers). The Western Conference is crowded though, so while they sit just two games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for third, they also are just two games up on the Los Angeles Clippers who are outside the playoff race at the moment in ninth.
The Pelicans will look to extend their win streak to seven when they go on the road on Wednesday to take on the San Antonio Spurs. That will be the first of a four-game road trip as they will also face the Dallas Mavericks, Clippers, and Sacramento Kings.
As great a performer as Davis has been, he has only seen playoff action once in his first five seasons (swept in four games in 2015 by the Golden State Warriors). Even with the monstrous loss of Cousins, he’s determined to change his career playoff narrative starting with this season.
