2017-18_New_Orleans_Pelicans_season

2017–18 New Orleans Pelicans season

2017–18 New Orleans Pelicans season

NBA professional basketball team season

The 2017–18 New Orleans Pelicans season was the 16th season of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Pelicans were coached by Alvin Gentry in his third year as head coach. They played their home games at the Smoothie King Center as members of the Western Conference's Southwest Division.

Quick Facts New Orleans Pelicans season, Head coach ...

The team's second-leading scorer, DeMarcus Cousins, suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury during his subsequent final game as a Pelican on January 26, 2018, and missed the remainder of the season.[1] Despite losing Cousins, the Pelicans clinched their first playoff berth since 2015 with a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on April 9, 2018.[2] They finished the season 48–34 to finish in second place in the Southwest Division.

In the Playoffs, the Pelicans faced off against the third-seeded Portland Trail Blazers in the First Round. On April 14, 2018, the Pelicans won the first game in the First Round playoff series which marked the franchise's first playoff game win since the 2011 playoffs' First Round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.[3][4] On April 21, the Pelicans completed the playoff series sweep over the Trail Blazers, marking the franchise's first series win since 2008.[5][6] It also marked the first playoff series sweep in franchise history, and the first time that a team seeded sixth or lower had swept a First Round series since the NBA had expanded the First Round to a best-of-seven series.[7] They advanced to the conference semifinals to face the second-seeded and defending champion and eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors, the team that swept them in the First Round of the 2015 playoffs and were also champions that year.[8] The Pelicans lost the series in five games and were eliminated from the playoffs.[9][10]

Draft

Main article: 2017 NBA draft
More information Round, Pick ...

Prior to the NBA draft, the Pelicans had only one second round pick, having traded their first-round pick, rookie Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, and the Philadelphia 76ers' original second round pick to the Sacramento Kings in a blockbuster trade for star center DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi.[11][12] On June 21, 2017, however, the Pelicans acquired the Washington Wizards' second round pick (No. 52 overall) in exchange for guard Tim Frazier.[13] As a result, the Pelicans entered draft night with two second round and no first-round picks. On the night of the draft, the Pelicans traded away their second round pick (No. 40 overall) and cash considerations to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for the Hornets' second round pick (No. 31 overall).[14] With that pick, the Pelicans selected Duke point guard Frank Jackson.[15] With the No. 52 overall pick, the Pelicans selected Xavier point guard Edmond Sumner and traded him to the Indiana Pacers for cash considerations.[16]

Roster

More information Players, Coaches ...

Standings

Division

More information Southwest Division, W ...

Conference

More information Western Conference, # ...

Game log

Preseason

More information 2017 pre-season game log Total: 1–3 (home: 0–2; road: 1–1), Game ...

Regular season

More information 2017–18 game log Total: 48–34 (home: 24–17; road: 24–17), Game ...

Playoffs

See also: 2018 NBA Playoffs
More information 2018 playoff game log Total: 5–4 (home: 3–1; road: 2–3), Game ...

Player statistics

Regular season

More information Player, Pos. ...

After all games.[17]
‡Waived during the season
†Traded during the season
≠Acquired during the season

Transactions

Main article: List of 2017–18 NBA season transactions

Trades

June 21, 2017 To New Orleans Pelicans
52nd pick in the 2017 NBA draft[18]		 To Washington Wizards
Tim Frazier
February 1, 2018 To New Orleans Pelicans
Nikola Mirotić
2018 second round pick (from New Orleans via Chicago)		 To Chicago Bulls
Ömer Aşık
Tony Allen
Jameer Nelson
2018 Top 5 protected first-round pick
Right to swap 2021 second round picks with New Orleans[19]

Free agency

Re-signed

More information Player, Signed ...

Additions

More information Player, Signed ...

Subtractions

More information Player, Reason left ...

Awards, records and milestones

Awards

More information Player, Award ...

Records

Season

  • Anthony Davis set franchise records in:
    • Most blocks in a game
    • Most blocks in a half
      • 6 – tied his own franchise mark on the same day.[38]
    • Field goals in a season (780)[39]
    • Points in a season (2,110)
    • Points per game (28.1)
  • DeMarcus Cousins set a franchise record in:
    • Defensive rebound percentage in a season (30.9%)[39]
  • Rajon Rondo set franchise records in:
    • Most assists in a game
    • Most assists in a quarter

Playoffs

Milestones

  • On November 22, 2017, Anthony Davis reached 7,938 career points, moving him to second in points scored in franchise history after passing Chris Paul.[44]
  • On January 18, 2018, both Davis and DeMarcus Cousins were selected as NBA All-Star starters, which marked the first time since 2009 that multiple New Orleans players have been selected to the All-Star game. It was also the first time in franchise history that multiple players have started the All-Star game.
  • On January 28, 2018, Davis reached 3,857 career rebounds, giving him the all-time franchise high in rebounds after passing David West.[45]
  • On February 2, 2018, Davis passed David West in points scored, giving him the all-time franchise high with 8,702.[46]
  • The Pelicans finished second in the Southwest Division, which was the highest since the 2007–08 season.
  • The Pelicans finished first in the league in:
    • Total minutes played in a season (19,995)[47]
    • Minutes played per game (243.4)[48]

Playoffs

  • The Pelicans clinched their first playoff berth since 2015.[49]
  • On April 14, 2018, the Pelicans won the first game in the First Round playoff series which marked the franchise's first playoff game win since the 2011 NBA playoffs.[50]
  • On April 21, 2018, the Pelicans completed the playoff series sweep over the Portland Trail Blazers, marking the franchise's first series win since 2008. It was also the first playoff series sweep in franchise history, and the first time that a team seeded sixth or lower had swept a First Round series since the NBA had expanded the First Round to a best-of-seven series.[51]

References

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    "New Orleans Pelicans earn second postseason berth in five seasons". USA TODAY. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
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    "Anthony Davis, Pelicans steal Game 1 in Portland". SBNation.com. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
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    "Pelicans coach's final words after Warriors eliminated them: '1-2-3, Cancun'". For The Win. May 9, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
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    "Pelicans trade up in NBA Draft, select Duke guard Frank Jackson with 31st pick". NOLA.com. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
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    "Pelicans Select Frank Jackson with 31st Pick in 2017 NBA Draft | New Orleans Pelicans | BourbonStreetShots.com". Retrieved May 3, 2018.
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    "Hawks Sign Point Guard Quinn Cook". NBA.com. September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
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    "New Orleans Pelicans Season Leaders". Basketball Reference. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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    "Davis, Cousins, power Pelicans' 107-90 rout of Spurs". espn.com. November 22, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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    "Griffin leads Clippers past Cousins-less Pelicans, 112-103". espn.com. January 28, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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    "Davis' 43 points lead Pelicans past Thunder 114-100". espn.com. January 28, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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    "New Orleans Pelicans Stats - Basic (Totals)". Basketball Reference. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  48. [48]
    "New Orleans Pelicans Stats - Per Game (Totals)". Basketball Reference. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  49. [49]
    "New Orleans Pelicans earn second postseason berth in five seasons". USA Today. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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    "NBA playoffs: Pelicans hold off Trail Blazers 97-95 in Game 1". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  51. [51]
    "No. 6 seed Pelicans make NBA playoff history with first-round sweep of Trail Blazers". USA Today. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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