The Pelicans could have simply folded yesterday. They certainly had a variety of excuses to do so. They were down by double digits early on the road against the highly regarded Rockets, with a match at home against the equally formidable Nuggets awaiting them on a back-to-back stint. More importantly, they had just come off three days between stops in which the only news they got was the worst possible one: Perennial Most Valuable Player candidate Anthony Davis wants out, and has asked management to explode trade possibilities with a contender. Considering that they were already third to last in the West with him at his finest, the outlook could very easily have demoralized them.
Instead, the Pelicans hung tough. Precisely because the perception was that they would be only too ready to tank in the face of the negative development, they set out to do the opposite. Under pressure yesterday, they strove to prove to all and sundry — and, yes, to themselves — that they had the wherewithal to stay competitive even in Davis’ absence. For all his contributions to the cause, they were not a one-man team, and they wanted to show it.
And so the Pelicans gnawed at the deficit, gunning for efficiency on offense while staying focused at the other end of the court. They cut it down to seven by the end of the second quarter, turned it into a lead after the third, and actually built on their advantage enough to hold on even as the Rockets tried to rally late. Needless to say, former All-Star Jrue Holiday was instrumental in the crunch, scoring eight points in the last 5:04, including two off free throws with 3.9 seconds left in the set-to to preserve the outcome. He had been holding the fort since Davis was sidelined due to a left index finger sprain.
That said, it’s fair to contend that the Pelicans have become more balanced and less reliant on one do-it-all stalwart. Holiday has naturally stepped up to be first in the pecking order sans Davis, but he’s getting lots of help. Yesterday, nine players got to see action for at least 11 minutes, as much an indication as any of head coach Alvin Gentry’s mindset to have the slack picked up by committee. And of the four logging 30 and above, Jahlil Okafor’s contributions were significant; the seeming bust signed to extremely friendly terms in the offseason once again put up huge numbers.
How the Pelicans will look like as and after they sort out their future is subject to speculation. They could go all in on a rebuilding project and trade everyone with value. They could try to stay relevant by asking for acknowledged talents even at pennies to the dollar. They could aim for something in between by likewise insisting on draft picks. In any case, this much is clear: No matter their composition, they will spare no effort fighting. Gentry will make sure they compete from opening tip to final buzzer, regardless of circumstance. It has been that way with Davis. It will be that way without him.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.
