Without a doubt, Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans is one of the best players in the league. But a quick look at advanced statistics reveals that he doesn't have the clutch genes that all great players have.
As observed by Redditor u/Embiid_Broken_Jumper, Davis has a -26.5 net rating in the clutch this season, along with a 41.5 true shooting percentage on 25.3 percent usage. As the Pelicans' star player, he has greatly affected the team's performance in the clutch as New Orleans sport a 5-12 record. By definition, a clutch situation is in the last five minutes of the game, with the point differential within five points or less.
The Pelicans have a 15-19 record and have lost four straight games. It's a relatively disappointing record considering that they finished sixth in the Western Conference last season and made it to the second round of the playoffs. It's been a surprise to many why the Pelicans are underperforming this early.
Article Continues BelowThe good thing is that there's still a whole lot of games to play. Anthony Davis' poor clutch performance is definitely not the sole reason why the Pelicans are struggling. But it sure does contribute to the entire picture.
After all, not only is he the franchise player, but he's also considered one of the best players in the league today. If Anthony Davis wants to be considered one of the elites, he has to have the ability to perform in the clutch.