But lingering over the Pelicans’ explosion this postseason is the question of what to do with Cousins, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The NBA Playoffs If the Pelicans didn’t have your attention before, they do now.Īnd with a second-round series against the Warriors still likely, despite the reigning champs in San Antonio on Sunday, the spotlight will only get bigger. McCollum the entire series, and Davis protected the paint like a sentry. It worked: Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo hounded Damian Lillard and C.J. Instead of figuring out how to make lineups featuring two of the best big men in the NBA work, New Orleans instead has turned to smaller, multiple-guard looks.Īgainst Portland, the Pelicans used a shooter at the 4 (usually Nikola Mirotic) around one big (Anthony Davis, or sometimes Cheick Diallo), and even went without a true big, with Mirotic at center, in the few minutes that Davis sat in Game 4.
But it’s impossible to watch the Pelicans without imagining how they’d fare with DeMarcus Cousins. New Orleans wiped out the Trail Blazers on Saturday to complete a that shocked pundits and fans alike.
