The first 17 games for DeMarcus Cousins in New Orleans were a mixed bag, leading many to jump off the bandwagon at too early a stage.
The Pelicans recorded a 1-6 record over his first seven appearances and then the team went 6-4 over the last 10, with these four losses going down to the wire. That echoes a massive improvement and is an encouraging sign for fans that have enjoyed just one playoff trip since Anthony Davis’ arrival in the Big Easy.
There were a lot of signs — both good and bad — over that 17-game stretch.