Have the Pelicans finally given Anthony Davis a real supporting cast?

The New Orleans Pelicans left many confused when they let DeMarcus Cousins walk to the Golden State Warriors this offseason. It seemed like the same old story: again led by an MVP favorite in Anthony Davis, again without the pieces to surround him with to make his presence matter?

If the Pels’ opening-night stomping of the Houston Rockets, 131-112, on the road has any merit, maybe they have everything they need already.

New Orleans’ blowout — in which the team never trailed — wasn’t an all-out Davis domination, either. While was a spectacular 13-of-23 shooting from the field for 32 points, 16 rebounds, and eight assists, everyone around him also contributed.

The Pels felt like a team built around AD instead of one built for him.

New Orleans took a shot in the dark when it traded a lightly-protected first-round pick for Mirotic late last season. It was a desperation move after Cousins went down for the year with an Achilles tear, but that panic deal has turned out to be a steal.

Mirotic was instrumental in New Orleans’ run to the second round of the playoffs and picked up right where he left off Wednesday, sinking 6-of-8 threes for 30 points on 20 shots. He looked every bit of the player we thought he might be when he originally came over from Spain four years ago.

He won’t need to be this good every night, but the shots will be there for him to take, and he’ll definitely be taking them.

The Lakers tossed aside the project that was Randle with a LeBron James signing looming, and New Orleans scooped him up for two years and $18 million. He isn’t Boogie’s size, nor does he have Cousins’ skill, but Randle is about as close to Cousins as the team could’ve hoped for on the open market.

Maybe he’ll be an even better fit. Off the bench, Randle scored 25 points in 23 minutes on 15 shots, even sinking 2-of-4 threes. That’s Boogie-esque and exactly what Davis needs to supplement his workload.

They might not be stars, but the Pelicans have something in both Moore and Payton.

Payton, the former Orlando Magic draft bust signed to replace the departed Rajon Rondo, finished with a triple-double: 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists on just one turnover. Moore, once cast aside by the Bulls, hit 8-of-12 shots for 21 points. These players couldn’t find their way on their original teams, but surrounding a true anomaly in AD, they’ve found a home.

It’s terrifying what any team with Anthony Davis on it can do when constructed properly. Injuries and incompetence have obstructed us from that long-term vision in the past, but thanks to some shrewd moves and happy accidents, the pieces may finally be here in 2019.