MEMPHIS – During a November game last season in Memphis between the Grizzlies and Pelicans, power forward Zach Randolph exited during the second quarter for a unique reason: his fiance had gone into labor, prior to giving birth to their child later that night. A year later, New Orleans will be without a player in Memphis for the same reason.
Pelicans small forward John Salmons is not with the team tonight, because his wife is expected to give birth today, according to Fox Sports New Orleans TV sideline reporter Jennifer Hale. As a result of Salmons’ absence, Pelicans rookie guard Russ Smith is on the team’s active list for the first time during the regular season.
Other notes from pregame at FedEx Forum:
• Monty Williams noted the possibility of using more players. He essentially used seven players in Saturday’s game vs. Dallas extensive minutes. “We’re going to look at playing more guys,” Williams said. “We have some guys who earned more minutes in preseason – they may not play as long as they did in the preseason – but they will have significant roles for us.”
• Memphis second-year head coach Dave Joerger on how the combination of Omer Asik and Anthony Davis improves New Orleans’ defense: “They’re top-six (defensively). They’re really good. They didn’t even need (Asik). That (acquisition) didn’t do us any favors.”
• Asked whether Asik/Davis will change Memphis’ approach, a smiling Joerger told a local reporter, “If you have a suggestion, I’d love to hear it. I don’t think we’re very flexible in how we play. We could get up and down the floor more, be more athletic, shoot more threes… it’s not who we are.”