NBA scores 2015: Anthony Davis is unstoppable and 3 other things we learned

Anthony Davis’ 43 points allowed the Pelicans to beat the Bucks and stay close to the Thunder in the battle for the eight seed in the West.

by Jeje Gomez

Mar 10, 2015, 11:55 AM UTC

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans should have faded from the playoff picture by now. They have suffered serious injuries to Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson and Anthony Davis yet somehow have managed to stay close to the soaring Thunder. Against the Bucks on Monday the injury bug bit them again, sidelining Tyreke Evans, who had 16 points and six assists at the time, with an ankle sprain at the end of the third quarter. Against a deep Milwaukee team that had Michael Carter-Williams and Giannis Antetokounmpo clicking that would have been a death sentence if not for a fantastic performance by Anthony Davis, who scored 11 fourth-quarter points en route to tying a career-high of 43 and giving his team the win.

Davis was everywhere from the start, logging 14 points in the first period to set the tone. He didn't just scored. He also finished the night with 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocks, numbers that have become pedestrian for him. With Gordon and Evans also contributing, the Pelicans led for most of the game but the Bucks never truly went away. Antetokounmpo, Carter-Williams and the always underrated Khris Middleton combined to take care of the scoring and their disruptive defense created 17 fastbreak points, often the result of their 11 steals. Milwaukee specializes in making life miserable for teams that rely on individual scoring like the Pelicans and Monday was no exception.

There’s only so much a defense can do against a talent like Davis, though. Whenever they dared him to shoot, he hit shots from outside. When there was a path to the bucket, he drove to the paint. If his defender was out of place even for a second, he drew fouls. That’s how you score 43 on just 23 shots.

Davis shot chart vs. Bucks

The Pelicans have won eight of their last 10 games, heating up the race for the eighth seed in the West. Since returning from injury four games ago Davis is putting a stat line of 33 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and four blocks per game. Watching him and Westbrook try to will their shorthanded teams to the playoffs is as exciting as it is depressing to think one of them will miss the postseason. There are still almost 20 games to go and every time the Pelicans and Thunder play will be must-see TV, as it will be the last chance to see one of those two stars in action this season.

3 other things we learned

The Hornets' streak is over. Charlotte had won five in a row to claim the seventh spot in the East momentarily. Al Jefferson and Mo Williams averaged over 20 points each during the streak, helping the Hornets dominate the competition. Unfortunately for their playoff chances, the schedule caught up to them. In the fifth game in seven nights and the second of a back-to-back, the Wizards pummeled them 95-69. Marcin Gortat led the way for Washington with 20 points while Jefferson needed 14 shots to score. With the loss the Hornets held on to the eighth spot only because the Heat failed to defeat the Celtics. The last two playoff spots in the East are up for the taking and the Hornets will need to regroup and put together another streak to secure their place.

The Bulls made crucial mistakes. The shorthanded Bulls hung with a healthy Grizzlies team that is among the best in the league, so it's hard to criticize them for the final score. What's worrying is that they made crucial mistakes at several points in the game and most notably in the fourth quarter. From not running the break with purpose to turning the ball over 17 times, Chicago simply didn't give itself a chance to pull off the upset. While the players made mistakes, Tom Thibodeau was not blameless. He subbed out a red hot Tony Snell and Joakim Noah just when the momentum had swung to the Bulls' side. After a timeout six players were on the floor, resulting in a technical foul that allowed the Grizzlies to extend the lead to seven with two minutes to go and shave some time off the clock. When everyone is healthy, the Bulls have the talent to beat anyone but they'll need to stop making costly errors if they hope to come out of the East.

Hassan Whiteside is self-destructing. Whiteside is one of the feel-good stories of the season, the D-Leaguer who played abroad before finding his way back to the league, surprising everyone and looking on his way to stardom. His numbers are eye-popping, as the 11 points, 10 rebounds and over two blocks he's averaging in under 25 minutes are unprecedented. His on-court anger issues, however, threaten to sabotage his career. After getting into a fight with Alex Len a few games ago, Whiteside took an unjustifiable cheap shot at the Celtics' Kelly Olynyk on Monday night.

He got ejected with 2:45 to go in the third quarter and the Heat went on to lose the rebounding battle with him out and then the game. “He’s had enough veteran advice,” Dwyane Wade said.“ There comes a time when you have to do it yourself. There’s only so many words people can continue to say to you.” Wade, who also called Whiteside “unreliable” clearly has little patience left for the 25-year-old center. He needs to get it together and soon if he wants to have a long career.

Play of the night

Anthony Davis wasn’t the only young phenom who had a career night on Monday. Giannis Antetokounpo scored 29 points and dunked all over everyone. This one was his best.