Nuggets at Pelicans
Anthony Davis is recognized as a superstar talent but the New Orleans
Pelicans power forward has one major flaw - he just can't stay healthy.
The 23-year-old Davis hasn't played more than 68 games in any of his
first four NBA seasons and looks for better fortunes this season,
beginning with Wednesday's season opener against the visiting Denver
Nuggets.
Davis played in just 61 games last season due to knee and shoulder injuries and suffered an ankle injury during the preseason that threatened to keep him from being ready for the opener. "I was trying to find a way to beat the system and come back early, to be back on the floor," Davis told reporters. "I knew in my head that I wanted to come back before the season opener. I think we did a great job of putting in extra work of getting my ankle back and being ready to play." The Nuggets have missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons and haven't recorded more than 36 victories during that span after winning 50 or more games in five of the previous six. Small forward Danilo Gallinari will look to stay healthy after playing just 53 games - averaging 19.5 points - last season due to two separate ankle injuries.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (2015-16: 33-49): Shooting guard Gary Harris (12.3 average) was one of the most improved players in the NBA in his second season and could take another step upward but he is questionable for the opener due to a groin injury. Denver seemed to plateau with power forward Kenneth Faried (12.5 points, 8.7 rebounds) as a starter and coach Michael Malone decided to bring him off the bench so youngsters Nikola Jokic (10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds) and Jusuf Nurkic (8.2 points, 5.5 rebounds) can start alongside each other. "We're a deep team, and I don't think you can get caught up in who's starting, because we're going to play a lot of guys," Malone told reporters. "We're going to finish small some nights, we may finish big some nights."
ABOUT THE PELICANS (2015-16: 30-52): New Orleans was decimated by injury issues last season and is currently without guard Tyreke Evans (three knee surgeries in a nine-month span) and forward Quincy Pondexter (knee). Point guard Jrue Holiday is also out indefinitely after his wife - former U.S. women's national team soccer player Lauren Holiday - underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor. "Anybody would be disappointed, but it's just a part of it," New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said of not having a full roster at his disposal. "You hope that everybody gets better - eventually we're going to get all the guys back."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pelicans won the last two meetings after the Nuggets won five of the previous six encounters.
2. New Orleans SG E'Twaun Moore, signed as a free agent in the offseason, opens the season as the starter ahead of No. 6 overall pick Buddy Hield.
3. Denver backup SF Wilson Chandler (hip) is healthy after missing all of last season.