Gentry says Pelicans 'need a voodoo doctor' after injury-ravaged season
Well, they're in the right city if they're looking for a voodoo doctor.
New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry was reduced to laughing at a season destroyed by injuries after a rare win over the New York Knicks on Monday night.
"I am gonna send out an all-points bulletin to anybody in the French Quarter or anywhere else," Gentry told reporters. "We need a voodoo doctor or something here. We've gotta find the bones under this place. We've got to do something, because this is becoming comical."
Gentry's latest bout of incredulity came after point guard Jrue Holiday and forward Alonzo Gee both left Monday's game with eye and quad injuries, respectively.
"Every guy in the D-League right now is sitting by his phone going, 'Okay, this might be my chance,'" Gentry said of his team's horrible luck this season. "What are we gonna do?"
Gentry's first year as Pelicans coach went sideways early, as New Orleans started the campaign without Tyreke Evans. From that point on, the rest of the squad began dropping like flies, culminating with Anthony Davis' season-ending knee and shoulder injuries.
As a result, a playoff team that won 45 games in 2014-15 and was expected to take another step under Gentry is now bound for the lottery with a 27-46 record through Monday. Just fielding healthy bodies has been an issue, as the Pelicans have lost 262 man games to injury and fielded a league-high 36 different starting lineups this season. Twenty players have suited up for the team, a number surpassed only by the Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans' southern brethren.
The Pelicans dipped into the D-League for players three times this season. One of those players, Bryce Dejean-Jones, promptly fractured his wrist.
"We had more people in our picture than the Saints did," Gentry said. "I don't know, I think you've got to laugh at it. I don't know what more we can do. We now have over 100 points a game sitting out. If we score seven the next game, just understand it."