Pelicans' Gentry: Anthony Davis has 'Tim Duncan DNA'
New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry thinks the world of his franchise star, Anthony Davis, drawing similarities between the All-Star big man and arguably the greatest power forward in NBA history.
"I think any time you have a superstar player like A.D. - I think he's got like Tim Duncan DNA," Gentry said prior to his team's Game 4 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell.
"He's just a low-maintenance guy, loves being around the guys, likes being part of the team, and just wants to be one of the guys that's part of the team. And I think any time you have that, you're probably going to have a closeness on your team."
Davis currently ranks third in playoff scoring at 29.6 points per game, third in rebounding (12.8), and second in rejections (2.3). When made aware of Gentry's comparison to "The Big Fundamental," the 25-year-old admitted he's long been an admirer of Duncan's work.
"I definitely looked up to (Duncan)," Davis said. "He's always calm and collective. He never gets rattled. He gets to the spots he wants to get to on the post. That's how I try to play.
"I watched a lot of film on him, the way he did stuff, even when we played against them, he would always tell me stuff - 'Calm down a little bit,' all this stuff. So I didn't know coach said that but I always looked up to Tim Duncan, and I always wanted to be just like him."
Gentry added during a Monday conference call that both Duncan and Davis have helped create winning cultures on their respective teams, while comparing the similarities of their skill sets.
"Tim is maybe a little bit better back-to-the-basket guy. AD's probably a little bit better face-up guy. I'm just saying that (the comparison of the players) just because of the similarities in personality and stuff and the similarities in games," the coach said.
Just like the man he looked up to, Davis will have to stay cool under pressure Tuesday night, as his Pelicans are on the road against the reigning champion Warriors trailing 3-1 in their second-round series.