For one of the rare instances over the past couple years, New Orleans (17-16) appears to be entering a game at full strength health-wise, after the Pelicans announced that Tyreke Evans is expected to play. He was listed as questionable earlier Monday due to illness, but has been upgraded to probable.
Based on his pregame comments, Pelicans Coach Monty Williams appears to have decided to place Gordon in the starting lineup and return the Pelicans to the first five they used early in 2014-15. If Gordon joins Evans in the first unit, New Orleans will start Jrue Holiday and Gordon in the backcourt, Evans and Anthony Davis at the forward spots and Omer Asik at center.
“Like I said this weekend, it’s not like we’ve won 10 or 15 games in a row,” Williams said of concerns about disrupting the team's rotation by starting Gordon. “We’re still trying to establish consistency and rhythm. I think you do that when you have your best players on the floor. Obviously somebody’s going to lose minutes. That’s why you have a team where you have a good (player development) program. You always want your guys to be ready. Jimmer (Fredette) is a guy who’s played really well the last three games. I know he and other guys are anxious about who’s going to get playing time, but that’s not my concern during the game. My concern is putting our team in a position to win the game.”