Pregame report: Jazz at Pelicans
By: Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com, @Jim_Eichenhofer
Updates from the New Orleans Arena prior to Wednesday’s Western Conference game between Utah and New Orleans:
• The big pregame news comes from the Utah side, with the Jazz confirming that University of Michigan product and lottery pick Trey Burke will make his NBA regular season debut, coming off the bench behind starter John Lucas III. Burke sustained a broken finger during preseason. Jazz Coach Tyrone Corbin said Burke’s minutes will be monitored since he has not played in a game since Oct. 12. “We could extend him, but you don’t want to overwhelm him,” Corbin said of Burke’s playing time. “You have to be careful with his body going forward.”
• Utah reserve big Jeremy Evans is also expected to make his regular season debut. Both Burke and Evans were still listed as “out” as of this morning by the Jazz.
• Monty Williams said it was good for the Pelicans to have an unusual number of days between games, giving them additional time to practice and heal, with a few players banged up from previous games.
• Williams on one key against Utah: “They shot 39 free throws (in last week’s game). We have to guard without fouling, keep them off the glass. We can’t have any empty offensive possessions. We had a number of those. But we’re not going to make any drastic changes. We just have to go out and do what we do better.”