The Pelicans beat the Bucks

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Published: March 8, 2014

When the season starts winding to an end, offensive efficiency improves across the board as teams fall out of the race and stop playing hard defensively.  Though there were definite spurts where both teams played a little defense tonight, in general both teams didn’t push too hard.

(Well, except for OJ Mayo, who pushed way too hard defensively(forearm shiver) and was ejected in the second.)

One thing was obvious, however.   Anthony Davis was head and shoulders above everybody else on the court.  There was just a sense of swagger tonight that Anthony brought.  He’s always looked awkward out there – and on some of his drives he still looked awkward – but mostly he just looked smooth and natural.  His shots were free off the catch, but he never just took it.  He’d jab step, or rise and shoot, or hesitation dribble on the way to the rim, or catch and launch a hook shot.   It was fantastic, as Anthony scored in a different way on his first seven baskets.  He’s already a versatile offensive force, and he’s just 20.  I’m giddy.

Other Observations

  • OJ Mayo has gone so quickly from contributor on a good team to fat, out of shape, and irrelevant.  He didn’t look like a basketball player out there, and the screen Stiemsma set wasn’t any different than screens set on every other play in the NBA.  I think Mayo just wanted an early night off, so delivered the forearm shiver at the first opportunity.
  • How sad must it be for Bucks fans that their best player was an afterthought throw in to a trade – and an undersize tweener.  Jeff Adrien did to the Pelicans what Reggie Evans did to them a few nights before.  Other than Withey, the Pels centers have no impactful hustle.
  • Evans was unstoppable going to the rim as usual.  Good for him.  There are a lot of dumb people out there who read his gross numbers and chortle at his demise.  Tyreke ain’t dead yet, my friends.  If he is in the right situation, he’s still a terror.
  • Henson never used to post up like that in college.  He did a good job of scoring on Davis tonight off hooks and scoops.  His long arms makes it hard for even a freak like Davis to contest his shots.
  • Morrow hunted his shot tonight.  When run off the three point line, he was shooting regardless, and kept finding open spots to shoot from.  He finished with 16 points in 16 minutes.
  • Gordon got into the flow in the first half, though he missed a couple nice looks.  His two cuts to the basket for layups from big men with time running down were great – though he was guarded both times by OJ Mayo, so . . .

Anthony Davis’s dunk was sick.  Sick!

 

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