Pelicans' Cousins: 'We're being counted out,' but will surprise people
The Pelicans stumbled their way to an 11-14 finish after their landscape-altering acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins at the All-Star break last season, but the cantankerous center is ready to shock the NBA world in his first full season in the Big Easy.
“That sample size we got last season is the reason I’m so confident this season," Cousins told The Vertical's Chris Mannix. "I believe we can make it work, and I think we’re going to surprise a lot more people than people actually expect. For some reason we’re being counted out, but that’s actually OK. We’re going to surprise a lot of people this season.”
The trade to New Orleans paired Cousins with All-NBA big man Anthony Davis, creating an imposing frontcourt of matching 6-foot-11 skyscrapers - a duo that also features plenty of skill. Cousins posted career highs in assists per game (4.6) and 3-point percentage (36.1 percent) last year, while Davis continued to be one of the preeminent defensive bigs in the league, averaging 2.2 blocks and 1.3 steals per contest.
With most teams around the league downsizing while increasing their 3-point proficiency, the Pelicans are an anachronism, bringing to mind towering frontcourts from a bygone era, like the Spurs' Tim Duncan and David Robinson, or the Knicks Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley.
But after an initial feeling-out period when Cousins was admittedly hesitant - almost literally - to step on Davis' toes, the duo is ready to work in simpatico to maximize their unique skill sets.
“I actually went in trying to change my game, and A.D. got on me a little bit and the coaches got on me and told me to just come out and be myself," Cousins added. "As I made that adjustment we actually started clicking a lot better and the team as a whole started playing a lot better. So there’s not really much of a change. It is an adjustment, but the biggest thing I take from it is playing with A.D., the game comes a lot more easier for me and I think he feels the same way.”
If the Pelicans can pull it off, stopping a Cousins-Davis super-sized pick-and-roll - with Davis flying to the hoop, or Cousins stepping out to shoot 3-pointers - could be nearly impossible to defend.
If it doesn't work out, the team will be in a dire situation; Cousins is heading toward free agency after the upcoming campaign, and if the big man decides to take his talents elsewhere, New Orleans may be heading toward a full-scale rebuild.