Last night, the New Orleans Pelicans began a new trail in their 2017-18 season — specifically one that features a lineup without All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins. The Pelicans lost their star big man for the season to a torn left Achilles in Friday night’s win against the Houston Rockets. But the NBA schedule waits for no one and the Pelicans had to face the LA Clippers on Sunday, a game in which New Orleans would blow a 21-point lead and lose 112-103.
After the defeat, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry faced questions about the minutes load All-Star big man Anthony Davis (and, for that matter, Cousins) have been toting this season. Both players rank in the top 10 in minutes per game (Davis averages 36.4 mpg; Cousins was at 36.2), which is to be expected as the Pelicans’ top two players. But as William Guillory of The Times-Picayune reports, Gentry wasn’t having much of the questions about either player’s minutes load:
After Sunday’s 112-103 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, the New Orleans Pelicans coach was asked if he had any concerns about Davis playing 41 minutes one game after Cousins went down for the season with a ruptured left Achilles tendon.
Gentry quickly shot down that idea, saying that he does what it takes to put the Pelicans (27-22) in position to win games.
“If he’s tired, he tells me,” Gentry said of Davis. “I would like to play him 28 minutes, but that’s not feasible if we want an opportunity to win. That’s just the way it is. If I don’t play him 41 minutes and we lose by 10, are (members of the media) going to ask me why he isn’t he in the game more? I don’t understand that.”
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Gentry also pointed out the way other teams lean on their star players, stating that great players have to increase their responsibilities at times to help their team.
“I’m sure Cleveland wishes they could play LeBron less minutes. He’s 50 years old and he’s playing more minutes than anybody in the league, except for one guy,” Gentry said half-jokingly. “You take your team and you look at the personnel that you have and try to put the best personnel out on the floor.”
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“We’re a team trying to win games and we’ve got to play guys that can help us win games. That is the bottom line,” Gentry said. “That’s it — I don’t understand what else you want me to say or do. I wish that we could play all of them less minutes.”
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