Got curious about those 2017 Pelicans last night while watchin’ old highlights. Figured I’d break down that season’s roster just for fun. Grabbed my laptop around 9 PM, opened a blank doc, and started huntin’ down info like a madman.
Step One: Diggin’ Up Roster Basics
Cracked open basketball-reference first thing. Scrolled straight to the 2016-2017 Pelicans squad. Headliners jumped out immediately:
- Anthony Davis – obviously, the dude was already a beast
- DeMarcus Cousins – traded mid-season, total game-changer!
- Jrue Holiday – runnin’ point, steady hand
- Etwaun Moore & Solomon Hill – solid wings, kinda forgettable though
- Terrance Jones & Dante Cunningham – energy guys off the bench
Kinda shocked how frontcourt-heavy they were. Two monsters down low? Wild!
Step Two: Stat-Surfing Shenanigans
Hooked up the NBA stats page next. Wanted the gritty details:
- Before Cousins? 20-32 record. Yikes.
- After Cousins? 14-14 record. Okay, respect! Still missed playoffs though.
Noticed somethin’ weird – AD and Boogie both averaged over 25 PPG together! But man…depth was tragic. If those two sat? Game over. Bench couldn’t score worth a lick.
Step Three: Watchin’ Tape (aka Old Games)
Pulled up some full game replays. Wow. Cousins and AD high-fivin’ after blocks? Sick. But here’s the thing:
- Chemistry looked awkward. Like two alpha dogs sharing one bone. Jrue was pass-first, couldn’t fix it.
- Defense? Slow feet. Guards blew past ’em constantly. AD/Cousins covered up mistakes… sometimes.
- Three-point shooting? Team shot 36%… decent, but not enough volume when defenses collapsed inside.
Felt frustrated watchin’ – so much wasted talent!
Final Thoughts Scribbled Down
Finished around midnight, kinda bummed. Here’s my takeaway dump:
- Star Power: A+ for Davis/Cousins. Legit terrifying combo.
- Fit & Depth: F. Zero spacing, no reliable wings or bench scorers.
- Injuries: Holiday missed 15 games? Disaster. No backup plan.
- “What If?” hurts big time. Boogie tears his Achilles next year. That duo’s window? Slammed shut way too soon.
Yeah, paper-thin roster outside the big names. Fun experiment, but man… what a wasted opportunity.
