the secret weapon behind anthony davis

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This is about turnovers. Statistically, here’s the biggest reason for the Pelicans’ significant improvement from last season to now: They finished 13th in the NBA in offense last year, averaging 107.2 points per 100 possessions, on the strength of an impressively low turnover rate – just 12.9 percent of possessions, seventh-best in the league. This year, their offense is seventh-best at 109.3 points per 100 plays, and they’re the league’s No. 1 in fewest turnovers, squandering just 10.5 percent of their possessions. That difference matters. Fewer turnovers means more opportunities to score, and that means that even if you aren’t the most efficient team shooting the ball (which the Pelicans aren’t), the points will still pile up. In theory, the wins should follow. The Pelicans have crafted such a low-turnover offense because, in simple terms, they run their offense through solid bigs. While Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday are perimeter guys who love having the ball in their hands and (especially in Tyreke’s case) aren’t the greatest at controlling it, the Pelicans get by because Davis and the Pelicans’ second best offensive player, Ryan Anderson, are able to assert their authority on the game.

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No doubt, the Pelicans are improving. They won just 34 games last season and finished 12th in the West; this year, they’re fighting for a playoff spot. That’s progress. But if there were one piece of advice that could help them speed up their development, it’s likely this – go to the bigs more. Pelicans observers have noted that despite his rapid improvement, Davis still sees shockingly few touches in the Pelicans’ offense. Part of that is because of their schemes, and it’s also because some of his teammates, especially Evans and Holiday, frequently fail to find Davis when he has opportunities to make plays. Given what we know about Davis’ effect on the team’s offense, this must change. New Orleans has a once-in-eons talent in Anthony Davis, but the next step is to make the most of him. That’s still a work in progress.

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