With the first overall pick in the NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans selected the player that everyone knew that they were going to choose. That didn’t take away from the excitement of the moment when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver read the name.

The Pelicans, who won the pick in last month’s draft lottery, took full advantage of their chance to select Zion Williamson out of Duke University, who is considered to be one of the best prospects in basketball history.

Williamson, a 6’7″ forward, was a highly-rated prospect in high school before he went to Duke to play one season under legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski. There, he justified his billing, averaging 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game and showcasing mind-blowing athleticism and scoring ability.

The 18-year-old is expected to immediately become an impact player and even a star in the league. He will team up with the recently-acquired Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram in New Orleans, composing a young and exciting trio.

It’s unknown what will become of Williamson and his professional career, but there hasn’t been expectation like this placed on any young player in many years. New Orleans hopes that Williamson will be the player that the franchise needs in order to propel them to their first ever NBA title in the future.

The post Zion Williams Selected by New Orleans Pelicans with #1 Pick in NBA Draft appeared first on SportzBonanza.

New Orleans Pelicans’ All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins is working hard to recover from torn left Achilles injury he suffered in January and remains optimistic about his return to the basketball court. Although the recovery time from such an injury is usually 10 to 12 months, Cousins thinks he might be ready when training camps open in September.

“I’m looking forward to starting the season,” – Cousins told The Undefeated. “That’s my own personal goal, so we’ll see what happens. That’s what I’m working on. The doctors haven’t really given me an answer because of the time I injured myself and the amount of time that I have. It’s basically open field because I have so much time. But for me, I’m shooting to be ready for training camp.”

The injury couldn’t come at a worse time for Cousins then when it did. He was in the middle of an MVP-worthy season with the Pelicans and averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. The averages for rebounds, assists, and steals were all career-highs for Cousins.

Another issue for DeMarcus Cousins is the fact that he will be a free agent this summer. He was on track to receive a max contract from the Pelicans and probably most teams in the NBA before the injury, but his potential suitors might now be cautious about signing him due to his injury. Big men in basketball tend to recover slower from torn Achilles injuries and mostly don’t get back to their previous form.

Cousins, on the other hand, isn’t concerned that the teams might hold the injury against him.

“Honestly, I’m not concerned.” – he said. “I know my mindset. I know how hard I work at my craft. I think I’ll be back in no time.”

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New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis has to do it all once again. After DeMarcus Cousins went down with ruptured Achilles, it’s on Davis to try and push the Pelicans into the playoffs in loaded Western Conference.

If the story was different and Cousins was healthy, Davis thinks that the two of them together on the court could have made a really big impact.

“We could have gone through the playoffs. No one could really stop us as bigs. We go to the Finals if we went,” – said Davis while talking with ESPN‘s Rachel Nichols. “Teammate Rajon Rondo reminds us of it: ‘You guys are the two best bigs. I know what it takes to win championships; we got it.’“

Although this might sound completely unrealistic to some, keep in mind that the Pelicans were climbing on the West Conference standings before Cousins suffered an injury on January 26, which ended his season. Davis and Cousins had the chance to become first teammates to average at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in a single season. DeMarcus Cousins was putting some MVP worthy numbers of 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. Unfortunately, we will never know how the season would play out for the New Orleans Pelicans if Cousins wasn’t injured.

Although it will be a lot harder for him now, Anthony Davis is determined to do whatever his team needs him in order for them to be successful.

“When he goes down, it’s, all right, it goes back to AD before DeMarcus, a lot of minutes, weight of the world on your shoulders,” – Davis said. “You know, you gotta carry the team on your back, you gotta almost get 40 every night for us — to give us a chance to win.“

Davis is currently averaging 23 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.

The post Pelicans Would Be In NBA Finals If DeMarcus Cousins Didn’t Get Hurt Says Anthony Davis appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Days after being selected as an NBA All-Star Game starter, New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon and will miss the remainder of the 2017-18 NBA season.

Cousins suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Friday’s 115-113 win over the Houston Rockets. With 14 seconds left in the game, the 27-year-old landed hard on his left leg after attempting a rebound after missing a free throw.

“We were starting to play damn good basketball,” – said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry to ESPN after the game. “DeMarcus has been great.“

“I feel horrible for him,” – Gentry added. “Everything that he’s done, and what he’s tried to do for us this year, and what he’s made himself, and the improvements in all areas that he’s made on and off the court, has just been great. I don’t want that to happen to a guy that’s trying to better himself.“

Before the injury, DeMarcus Cousins just posted his second triple-double in three games and ended the game with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. He has been pivotal to the Pelicans’ good run in this part of the season and has been averaging 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. He and power forward Anthony Davis were on track to be the first pair of teammates to average at least 25 points per game and 10 rebounds in a season.

“We were just getting it,” – said Davis. “We were just figuring everything out. That’s the tough part. We’ve just got to keep going. We’ve got to keep going and keep finding a way to win.“

DeMarcus Cousins was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in February 2017 from the Sacramento Kings. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are adding shooting guard DeAndre Liggins to their roster according to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski. Liggins will first sign a 10-day deal with the Pelicans, who will then decide whether they will keep him on a long-term basis. In order to sign the guard, Pelicans are using an injury exception, awarded to them by the NBA.

The New Orleans Pelicans were set back by injury problems for the better part of the season, with their star forward Anthony Davis being in and out of the lineup. The team’s backcourt, however, is hurting the most with players like Solomon Hill, Frank Jackson, and Tony Allen sitting more on the sidelines than actually playing. The acquisition of Liggins, who was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, will bring depth to the Pelicans’ line-up and should make them better at defense. Also, Liggins is a quality 3-point shooter, which can be crucial if the team intends to make a playoff run. The Pelicans are currently just above .500 with a 20-19 record and sitting at the 8th spot in the Western Conference. They are one game behind the Portland Trail Blazers on the 7th and two games above the Los Angeles Clippers.

Considered a basketball journeyman, DeAndre Liggins first got the taste of NBA when the Orlando Magic took him 53rd overall in 2011 NBA Draft. He failed to make an impact in Orlando and was released after playing 17 games. In 2012 he signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder, having multiple assignments in the NBA Development League with the Tulsa 66ers. He then briefly played for the Miami Heat, before heading to Europe in 2014. In 2016 he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers and played 61 (19 as a starter) before being released once again. After a brief spell with the Dallas Mavericks, he joined the Bucks, for which he played 31 games, averaging 1.6 rebounds and 1.8 points per game.

The post DeAndre Liggins Joins the Injury-Plagued New Orleans Pelicans appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the first overall pick in the NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans selected the player that everyone knew that they were going to choose. That didn’t take away from the excitement of the moment when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver read the name.

The Pelicans, who won the pick in last month’s draft lottery, took full advantage of their chance to select Zion Williamson out of Duke University, who is considered to be one of the best prospects in basketball history.

Williamson, a 6’7″ forward, was a highly-rated prospect in high school before he went to Duke to play one season under legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski. There, he justified his billing, averaging 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game and showcasing mind-blowing athleticism and scoring ability.

The 18-year-old is expected to immediately become an impact player and even a star in the league. He will team up with the recently-acquired Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram in New Orleans, composing a young and exciting trio.

It’s unknown what will become of Williamson and his professional career, but there hasn’t been expectation like this placed on any young player in many years. New Orleans hopes that Williamson will be the player that the franchise needs in order to propel them to their first ever NBA title in the future.

The post Zion Williams Selected by New Orleans Pelicans with #1 Pick in NBA Draft appeared first on SportzBonanza.

New Orleans Pelicans’ All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins is working hard to recover from torn left Achilles injury he suffered in January and remains optimistic about his return to the basketball court. Although the recovery time from such an injury is usually 10 to 12 months, Cousins thinks he might be ready when training camps open in September.

“I’m looking forward to starting the season,” – Cousins told The Undefeated. “That’s my own personal goal, so we’ll see what happens. That’s what I’m working on. The doctors haven’t really given me an answer because of the time I injured myself and the amount of time that I have. It’s basically open field because I have so much time. But for me, I’m shooting to be ready for training camp.”

The injury couldn’t come at a worse time for Cousins then when it did. He was in the middle of an MVP-worthy season with the Pelicans and averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. The averages for rebounds, assists, and steals were all career-highs for Cousins.

Another issue for DeMarcus Cousins is the fact that he will be a free agent this summer. He was on track to receive a max contract from the Pelicans and probably most teams in the NBA before the injury, but his potential suitors might now be cautious about signing him due to his injury. Big men in basketball tend to recover slower from torn Achilles injuries and mostly don’t get back to their previous form.

Cousins, on the other hand, isn’t concerned that the teams might hold the injury against him.

“Honestly, I’m not concerned.” – he said. “I know my mindset. I know how hard I work at my craft. I think I’ll be back in no time.”

The post Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins “Shooting to Be Ready for Training Camp” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis has to do it all once again. After DeMarcus Cousins went down with ruptured Achilles, it’s on Davis to try and push the Pelicans into the playoffs in loaded Western Conference.

If the story was different and Cousins was healthy, Davis thinks that the two of them together on the court could have made a really big impact.

“We could have gone through the playoffs. No one could really stop us as bigs. We go to the Finals if we went,” – said Davis while talking with ESPN‘s Rachel Nichols. “Teammate Rajon Rondo reminds us of it: ‘You guys are the two best bigs. I know what it takes to win championships; we got it.’“

Although this might sound completely unrealistic to some, keep in mind that the Pelicans were climbing on the West Conference standings before Cousins suffered an injury on January 26, which ended his season. Davis and Cousins had the chance to become first teammates to average at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in a single season. DeMarcus Cousins was putting some MVP worthy numbers of 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. Unfortunately, we will never know how the season would play out for the New Orleans Pelicans if Cousins wasn’t injured.

Although it will be a lot harder for him now, Anthony Davis is determined to do whatever his team needs him in order for them to be successful.

“When he goes down, it’s, all right, it goes back to AD before DeMarcus, a lot of minutes, weight of the world on your shoulders,” – Davis said. “You know, you gotta carry the team on your back, you gotta almost get 40 every night for us — to give us a chance to win.“

Davis is currently averaging 23 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.

The post Pelicans Would Be In NBA Finals If DeMarcus Cousins Didn’t Get Hurt Says Anthony Davis appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Days after being selected as an NBA All-Star Game starter, New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon and will miss the remainder of the 2017-18 NBA season.

Cousins suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Friday’s 115-113 win over the Houston Rockets. With 14 seconds left in the game, the 27-year-old landed hard on his left leg after attempting a rebound after missing a free throw.

“We were starting to play damn good basketball,” – said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry to ESPN after the game. “DeMarcus has been great.“

“I feel horrible for him,” – Gentry added. “Everything that he’s done, and what he’s tried to do for us this year, and what he’s made himself, and the improvements in all areas that he’s made on and off the court, has just been great. I don’t want that to happen to a guy that’s trying to better himself.“

Before the injury, DeMarcus Cousins just posted his second triple-double in three games and ended the game with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. He has been pivotal to the Pelicans’ good run in this part of the season and has been averaging 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. He and power forward Anthony Davis were on track to be the first pair of teammates to average at least 25 points per game and 10 rebounds in a season.

“We were just getting it,” – said Davis. “We were just figuring everything out. That’s the tough part. We’ve just got to keep going. We’ve got to keep going and keep finding a way to win.“

DeMarcus Cousins was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in February 2017 from the Sacramento Kings. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

The post Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins Suffers a Season Ending Injury appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The New Orleans Pelicans are adding shooting guard DeAndre Liggins to their roster according to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski. Liggins will first sign a 10-day deal with the Pelicans, who will then decide whether they will keep him on a long-term basis. In order to sign the guard, Pelicans are using an injury exception, awarded to them by the NBA.

The New Orleans Pelicans were set back by injury problems for the better part of the season, with their star forward Anthony Davis being in and out of the lineup. The team’s backcourt, however, is hurting the most with players like Solomon Hill, Frank Jackson, and Tony Allen sitting more on the sidelines than actually playing. The acquisition of Liggins, who was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, will bring depth to the Pelicans’ line-up and should make them better at defense. Also, Liggins is a quality 3-point shooter, which can be crucial if the team intends to make a playoff run. The Pelicans are currently just above .500 with a 20-19 record and sitting at the 8th spot in the Western Conference. They are one game behind the Portland Trail Blazers on the 7th and two games above the Los Angeles Clippers.

Considered a basketball journeyman, DeAndre Liggins first got the taste of NBA when the Orlando Magic took him 53rd overall in 2011 NBA Draft. He failed to make an impact in Orlando and was released after playing 17 games. In 2012 he signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder, having multiple assignments in the NBA Development League with the Tulsa 66ers. He then briefly played for the Miami Heat, before heading to Europe in 2014. In 2016 he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers and played 61 (19 as a starter) before being released once again. After a brief spell with the Dallas Mavericks, he joined the Bucks, for which he played 31 games, averaging 1.6 rebounds and 1.8 points per game.

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