Anthony Davis elevated himself from promising rookie to legitimate superstar.
Eric Gordon is having arguably the worst season of his career.
But those Pelicans, on opposite tracks, will continue to share something – an outside perception they’re injury prone.
Pelicans team release:The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that forward/center Anthony Davis (back spasms) and guard Eric Gordon (left knee) will miss the remainder of the season.
Davis was examined by team physicians, who determined that his injury will require 1-2 weeks of rest and rehabilitation.
Gordon will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee next week and is expected to make a full recovery.
Davis missed 18 games last season, and he will have missed 15 this season. He’s been hit by a variety of issues, which usually indicates bad luck more than being injury prone, but it’s impossible to look at his thin frame for his position and not wonder how well he can hold up.
More concerning, Gordon will have now missed 18, 40, 57, 16 and 20 games in the last five years. That’s every season since his rookie year. It’s much easier to label him injury prone.
Going forward, the Pelicans will have to address best practices to keep those two on the court.
In the meantime, they’re more likely to lose their final four games – at Thunder, at Rockets, vs. Thunder, vs. Rockets – and extend their losing streak to 10. That could help the Pelicans increase their lottery odds.
More likely, they’re just improving the position of Philadelphia, which gets New Orleans’ first-round pick unless it falls in the top five.
