ATLANTA – For the second straight game since Eric Gordon was sidelined indefinitely, the New Orleans Pelicans will use a new starting lineup, in their attempt to fill the void created by Gordon’s left shoulder injury. After sliding Tyreke Evans to shooting guard and elevating Darius Miller to starting small forward in Tuesday’s defeat to Sacramento, third-year veteran Austin Rivers will get the first-string shooting guard nod Friday at Atlanta. Evans will move back to small forward, where he had started the previous 12 games, while Miller returns to a reserve role.
Rivers has started a total of 30 games over the past two seasons, largely due to injuries to other New Orleans backcourt players. He started each of the final four games of the 2013-14 regular season, long after both Gordon and Jrue Holiday had sustained season-ending injuries. Rivers averaged 16.0 points and 5.3 assists in those four starts.
Pelicans fifth-year head coach Monty Williams said that given the starting lineup change, he may take one of the starters out earlier than normal in the first quarter and bring that same player back in to mix with the reserves.
“It could be the same lineup, but different rotations based on what we need on the floor,” Williams said. “We may have to sub someone out early, so they can get back (in) and we can have someone with the second unit, so we can have a leader on the floor when the reserves come in. Some nights it could be Jrue, some nights it could be Tyreke, so I can get them back in the game.”
Other pregame notes:
- Speaking of lineups, Williams said the big alignment featuring 6-10 Ryan Anderson, 6-10 Anthony Davis and 7-foot Omer Asik is problematic partly because it forces Anderson or Davis to play small forward. The Pelicans used the lineup to some success in preseason vs. Washington, but Williams noted that they went to a zone defense for about 30 possessions.