Pelicans stretch run a chance for Gentry to show he’s right for the job

NEW ORLEANS — It hasn’t been a good 2 1/2 seasons for Alvin Gentry as head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans.

His first team got off to a bad start and never seriously threatened to make the playoffs before finishing 30-52.

His second team got off to a worse start and even though it was bolstered by the midseason acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins it fell well short of the playoffs with a 34-48 record.

Somewhere along the way, Pelicans fans got in the habit of booing Gentry when he was introduced prior to home games.

He has often been criticized in the media, including multiple occasions in this space when I have explained why I thought the dismissal of his predecessor was an unwise move that was compounded by the hiring of Gentry.

New Orleans has been spinning its wheels ever since Monty Williams’ last team was swept by Golden State in the first round of the playoffs three years ago.

But in these next two months, Gentry and the Pelicans have an opportunity to show that he can handle the job by getting back the playoffs.

Forget the lack of enthusiasm for Gentry’s hiring, forget the negative press, forget the last two years, forget the pre-game boos.

Right now all that matters is the remaining 25 games and where New Orleans will stand when they are over. The Pelicans return from the All-Star break to play Miami on Friday night in the Smoothie King Center.

They currently hold the eighth and final playoff position, but the playoff positioning is remarkably fluid. Only 4 1/2 games separate third place and 10th place. A mini winning streak or mini losing streak — both of which have been New Orleans trademarks — can move a team up or down a few spots.

Gentry and the Pelicans seemed to be figuring out the Cousins-Anthony Davis tandem just before Cousins was lost to a season-ending Achilles injury last month. General manager Dell Demps was aggressive in trying to salvage the season by acquiring Nikola Mirotic from Chicago.

The Pelicans are 3-3 since Mirotic arrived and they’ll likely have to do better than break even the rest of the way if they are going to remain in the top eight.

This team already has won one more game than Gentry’s first did and it needs just four more wins to surpass the total from last season.

This team showed signs of possibly collapsing in the first few games after Cousins was lost, but righted the ship by winning its last three games before the break.

This team needs to continue to acclimate Mirotic on the fly. Davis has to return to the heavy-lifting days that preceded Cousin’s arrival when he would often have to put up eye-popping numbers for his team to have a chance.

It has to continue to win more than it loses on the road and start to win more at home than it has thus far.

The first game after the All-Star break is always an eye opener. You can immediately sense a heightened state of urgency from the teams that are serious about getting into the playoffs and competing seriously once they’re there.

Three years ago, the Pelicans fought their way into the playoffs, defeating the Spurs in a do-or-die regular-season finale to grab the eighth spot. Four games later the Monty Williams era was over.

Now it’s Gentry’s team. Has been for nearly three years.

His team is in position to grab a playoff spot. It’s in the top eight and it has the talent to stay there.

If it can avoid the consistent inconsistency of the first 57 games as well as the head-scratching lack of effort that has plagued it from time to time, it might just return to the post-season.

Whether hiring Alvin Gentry was the right move has been debated for 2 1/2 seasons.

But whether he is the right man for the job right now will be shown in the next 25 games.