When two high-scoring, All-Star players formed a duo in the New Orleans frontcourt in mid-February of last season, it seemed reasonable to predict that both Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins would need to make individual sacrifices offensively to accommodate the other talented big man. In game competition, however, Davis’ statistics actually increased, with his scoring average going from 27.7 to 28.6 following the Cousins acquisition. Meanwhile, in shifting from Sacramento’s No. 1 option to sharing the floor with Davis, Cousins’ dipped a bit from 27.8 to 24.4 overall, but even that’s a bit misleading – he averaged 32.0 points in the final six games he played.
Pelicans perimeter shooting will be pivotal in freeing up room for All-Star duo
