Halo

The New Orleans Pelicans have been ravaged by injuries over the course of a highly disappointing 2015-16 season, and a voodoo practitioner believes supernatural powers may be to blame.

According to Brett Dawson of the Advocate, New Orleans-based voodoo priest Belfazaar Ashantison feels as though the Pels are cursed: "I do believe, honestly, that they are jinxed, for lack of a better word. I think there's a negative energy that keeps surrounding them."

Per Dawson, Ashantison's declaration comes at a time when seven players are on the season-ending injury list for the 27-46 Pelicans, including superstar big man Anthony Davis.

Matt Moore of CBSSports.com provided a visual of just how unlucky the Pelicans have been:



Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry joked at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans that the team might need "a voodoo doctor" and has "got to find the bones under this place or we've got to do something."

According to Dawson, that led to multiple voodoo practitioners offering their services, just as they did in an attempt to break the Madden curse when New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was on the cover of the hit video game in 2010.

Expectations were extremely high for the Pels entering the season after they beat out the Oklahoma City Thunder for a playoff spot in 2014-15 with a record of 45-37.



The arrival of Gentry didn't spark the team as much as some may have anticipated, and while Davis had a great season statistically, he didn't receive enough from his supporting cast before going down for the remainder of the season.

New Orleans still has a strong core of key players, though, and with a high draft pick likely on the horizon as well, it should have a great chance to turn things around next season.

In order for that to happen, however, the Pelicans must avoid the injury bug regardless of what unseen forces may or may not be behind it.



Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

Read more New Orleans Pelicans news on BleacherReport.com



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