An astounding 86% of general managers said one year ago Anthony Davis was their preferred choice to build a franchise around.
An underwhelming season by the Pelicans put Davis in a strange light, and he ended the year sidelined due to injury.
Asked the same question this year, general managers gave Karl-Anthony Towns took a plurality of votes. Davis also plunged behind Kevin Durant and LeBron James.
Well, Davis sent a message to those who no longer view him as an elite franchise cornerstone. His opening-night performance:
- 50 points
- 16 rebounds
- 5 assists
- 7 steals
- 4 blocks
The last player to score 50 in a season opener was Michael Jordan in 1989. No player since at least 1983-84 has matched Davis’ stat line across the five major categories in any game.
Yes, New Orleans lost – 107-102 to the Nuggets. But Davis’ teammates shot 36% from the field and 18% on 3-pointers.
Davis produced an all-time great individual performance. That the rest of the Pelicans couldn’t keep up says only so much.
He just knows how to make a splash in season openers.
