NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Pelicans' four-game commitment to small ball has been born out of necessity.
Neither 7-foot starting center Omer Asik nor 7-foot-2 backup Alexis Ajinca has been able to carry his weight, much less his height, to provide 6-10 forward Anthony Davis with consistent protection around the rim or even a hint of scoring punch, prompting coach Alvin Gentry to slide Davis over to center and go with a smaller lineup in winning three of the last four games.
All that may change as the Pelicans (14-22) host the Atlanta Hawks (19-16) on Thursday night at the Smoothie King Center.