Preseason was one thing, but for six New Orleans Pelicans players, Wednesday night was the first time they’ve shared an NBA floor with Anthony Davis in an official game. Suffice it to say, their initial experience was an eye-opener – a 50-point, 16-rebound, seven-steal, four-block, five-assist performance by Davis had never previously been accomplished in league history.
“He did it across the board,” new Pelicans teammate Solomon Hill said of Davis’ all-around play in a 107-102 defeat. “I told him, ‘You did everything. You put us on your back and carried us on your shoulders. We (teammates) should’ve done a little bit more to get us over that hump.’
“But he does everything. He can bring the ball up the court, he can make plays for other people, he’s definitely always going to be able to block shots, rebound, get steals. He’s a complete player. Now that he has the ability to step out to the three-point line and take those shots, all we have to do is surround him with a good presence.”
Three-point shooting was actually one rare category Wednesday in which Davis did not excel (he was 0/2 on treys), but he dominated just about everywhere else. His 50 points were tied for the second-biggest output in team history (Davis, of course, holds that record with 59 at Detroit last season) and made him only the fourth NBA player ever to rack up 50-plus in a season opener. His seven steals marked a career high and tied a team record. Davis’ 16 rebounds against a big Nuggets frontline were a top-15 figure for him as a pro (his best boards game is 21). The two-time NBA blocks champion also swatted four shots, which accounted for 13.3 percent of Denver’s missed shots from two-point range. In addition, he handed out five assists, which was two shy of another career high.
“He was special,” Pelicans rookie guard Buddy Hield said in the postgame locker room. “He made a lot of great shots, he played inside-out, is a tough matchup. That’s what you get being a superstar every night – he brings it and works hard for it. It’s unfortunate it came with a loss. He’s just going to keep getting better.”
“Playing against him is different, but playing with him, when you’re in trouble, you go to him,” said Pelicans free-agent pickup Lance Stephenson. “Playing with him is going to help everybody. You’ve just got to feed off him and make smart plays going downhill.”
If one were to scan NBA.com’s 2016-17 season statistical leaders Thursday afternoon, they’d see several entries that look like typos, such as Davis topping the league by averaging 50.0 points per game. He’s also the ultra-early leader in rebounding and steals, while tied for second place in blocks (Charlotte’s Roy Hibbert swatted five shots Wednesday at Milwaukee). Despite those incredible numbers, based on what he’d seen in the past as a three-year member of the Indiana Pacers, Hill wasn’t surprised by anything Davis did on the court.
“You know that’s what you can get from him as long as he’s healthy,” Hill said. “I think that’s been the key thing with his career, period. You know what he can do. You know the sky’s the limit for him. He’s one of the most athletic bigs I’ve seen, personally. (And) it’s not just being an athlete. It’s him (making) jump shots, getting to the line. He has an array of finishes. When a guy gets going and has a night like that, you want to put a win to it. He could come out like that every game if he really wanted to. So we have to just start putting it together and try to get these Ws.”