Pelicans drop AD from team shot on hype video

Paul Pierce and Michael Wilbon explain why it was awkward for the Pelicans to remove Anthony Davis from the hype video. (0:52)

NEW ORLEANS — The presence, or lack thereof, of Anthony Davis was unmistakable Wednesday as the Pelicans lost 105-99 to the Denver Nuggets, the first home game for team since Davis’ trade request became public Monday.

Davis was absent through almost the entirety of the team’s pregame hype video prior to tipoff, and he was removed from an image of the entire Pelicans roster with the motto “Do It Big” at the conclusion of the video.

Nikola Jokic had 20 points, 13 rebound and 10 assists for his eighth triple-double of the season and the Denver Nuggets beat the undermanned New Orleans Pelicans 105-99 on Wednesday night.

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“I’ve never even seen that video,” coach Alvin Gentry said after the game. “I really haven’t. I’m not avoiding anything, but — I couldn’t tell you who’s on that and who’s not.”

Davis, who is still out because of a finger fracture, sat mostly inconspicuously on the end of the bench during the first three quarters, joining in on timeout huddles and cheering on his teammates. The tone in the arena was mostly tepid, with a couple scattered signs and possibly an extra level of support for Jrue Holiday, who was loudly cheered during starting introductions. When Davis emerged from the tunnel prior to the game, a couple of fans booed, but it was hardly noticeable. One fan held a sign near the Pelicans bench that read “AD, LeBron won’t love you like we do.”

A reporter pointed out to Gentry that Davis wasn’t on the bench during the fourth quarter, but Gentry was unfazed.

“He’s right here in the locker room,” Gentry said with a laugh. “When I walked in he was in the locker room, so. That’s the other thing, I don’t look down the bench and see who’s on the bench and who’s not.

“I think we’re making more of a big deal of it than it is. I don’t think there’s anything [to it]. As I’ve said, [Davis] still talked to all the guys, he was still in [the locker room] when we came in. That’s what I know. Whatever you guys want to write and make out of that, you gotta do what you gotta do. But I think you’re reaching a little bit.”

Davis has not spoken publicly since his trade request, but is expected to address reporters after the team’s practice Friday. He’s due to return from his injury in the coming days, but when asked if Davis would play another game for the franchise once he’s cleared, Gentry said before the game that he was unsure.

“That’s a hard thing to answer,” he said. “I don’t really know how to answer that. I assume that he will. That’s something that will obviously have to be discussed about what’s best for him, and what’s best for our team.”

Team owner Gayle Benson addressed the team pregame in the locker room, congratulating the players on beating the Rockets on Tuesday. Late in that victory, Davis was active in huddles, talking with Gentry and assistant coaches. Despite the clear discomfort in the situation, Gentry said it’s mostly business as usual.

“It’s not awkward at all,” Gentry said. “I think if you ask every guy in the locker room they’ll tell you the same thing. He’s the same guy. He asked to be traded, but he’s the same guy. All of a sudden his personality didn’t change and all of a sudden we don’t feel differently about him at all. It’s one of those things. We’ll have to manage it as an organization and he’ll have to manage it as an individual and we’ll get through the whole thing.

“AD is a good kid,” he said. “A good, solid kid. The guys in the locker room, obviously, like him and he likes them. Nothing has changed from a coaching standpoint. It was within his right to do, to ask for that. It’s out there, but the one thing we can’t do as coaches and players and as a team is we can’t let that be an excuse for us or two, affect the way we think or what we’re trying to do.”

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