Davis: I need to be 'almost perfect' to give Pelicans a chance

After Thursday night's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, the New Orleans Pelicans are 0-3 without Anthony Davis, who's now missed three of the last four games with a right elbow sprain.

And when he is in the lineup, he knows his performance is crucial.

"A perfect example (was against the Golden State Warriors)," Davis told Yahoo's Chris Haynes on Wednesday. "I don't have a good game and we lose. So, I got to play almost perfect every night to give us a chance to win."

The big man shot poorly in Wednesday's loss in Oakland, scoring a season-low 17 points. He was then ruled out in Portland after a recurrence of the elbow issue. The Pelicans are 4-1 when he plays.

"I don't try to put too much pressure on myself, but I know it's there," he said.

Related: Davis hopes to reconnect with Cousins down the line

Davis also addressed the media circus that popped up following the announcement that he changed agents to Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. Paul also represents LeBron James, sparking rumors that Davis may want to ultimately join James and the Los Angeles Lakers. He says his Pelicans teammates are not bothered by the chatter.

"Nah, my team doesn't care," he said. "They cherish the moments that they have with me."

Davis can opt out of his existing contract in 2020. However, the Pelicans can offer him a super-max extension next summer.