After missing Tuesday’s game at Brooklyn due to a left ankle sprain, Tyreke Evans hopes to return to game action Sunday vs. Denver, following a timely four-day break between games. The unusually long late-season hiatus allowed Evans to rest and get a practice in Saturday with his New Orleans teammates.
“I suspect he’ll play,” Pelicans fifth-year coach Monty Williams said. “He felt good yesterday. He went through practice. How he responded to that is up in the air, but Tyreke is a tough, tough guy. I suspect he’ll play today.”
Williams added that if Evans plays, he will not be under any minute restrictions.
“He goes through his warmups pretty late, so we’ll see how he feels after that,” Williams said. “If he plays, he typically gets after it (energy and effort-wise). So I don’t think we’ll hold him back at all.”
Meanwhile, Denver (25-41) is resting three of its players, even though the Nuggets do not have a realistic chance at reaching the postseason next month. Darrell Arthur, Wilson Chandler and Randy Foye are all listed as out. Rookie center Jusuf Nurkic is listed as probable with a right ankle sprain.
Other news from Sunday’s pregame:
- Williams said there is no update on the status of Jrue Holiday, who is out with a stress reaction in his lower right leg.