With Boogie Cousins gone, the New Orleans Pelicans’ hopes are back to resting on Anthony Davis’ shoulders. Somehow, the two star big men made it work last season before Cousins’ season-ending injury, but Davis has always been the true franchise player and he’s shown it in each of his six seasons.
In his seventh, he has a great opportunity to vie for the MVP award, and these are the reasons why he could win it:
He Will Average 30+ Points Per Game
In 2016-17, Anthony Davis posted 28 points per game. Last season, with Boogie Cousins, he posted 28.1 points per game. Davis has improved his scoring average in each of his six seasons and even did so last season with another big man getting his touches.
At just 25, Davis has grown his game every year and there’s no reason to think that a 30 PPG season isn’t on the horizon.
Because Davis is such a prolific and efficient scorer inside, his touches don’t even need to increase that much for 30 points a night to be realistic. Last season, he shot 53.4% on 19.5 attempts per game.
The season before – pre-Boogie – he shot 50.5% on 20.3 attempts. Assuming that his FGA attempts revert to 2016-17, which they likely will, Davis can easily up his scoring average by two points.
Also important to this push for 30 points is the fact that he’s improved his free throw shooting. 2015-16, he shot 75.8% and then 80.2% in 2016-17. That average went up to 82.8% last year and, even if he stays at that number this season, he’ll get to the line eight times a game.
Next Up: Reason 3
