Brandon Ingram has returned to 5-on-5 basketball, practicing Monday, and is hopeful to be back in a New Orleans uniform soon, with the Pelicans playing home games Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday in the Smoothie King Center.
New Orleans split its first dozen games, but eight of those contests were on the road and three of the six defeats came in overtime. Since Nov. 12, the Pelicans have gone 10-2, including 8-1 in the Smoothie King Center.
The New Orleans Pelicans entered Saturday in third place among the 30 NBA teams in defensive efficiency, allowing just 108.1 points per 100 possessions. Not bad for a club many analysts projected would be pleased with even a top-15 status in that category (the Pelicans were 18th last season, at 112.0).
Four young players were among New Orleans’ top six in minutes logged during Wednesday’s 126-108 home win over Toronto, yet another example of the Pelicans being able to lean heavily on contributors who don’t possess many years of NBA experience.
Although the Pelicans are coming off what was their first non-competitive performance of 2022-23 on Friday – falling behind by 30-plus points and losing by 21 against a motivated Memphis squad – this morning they were in third place in the West at 11-8.
It’s been almost a year since Kira Lewis Jr. participated in an official professional basketball game, but he’ll soon have the opportunity to do so in his home state, playing for New Orleans’ G League affiliate in Birmingham.
After Thursday’s practice, New Orleans head coach Willie Green told local media members that Brandon Ingram will not be traveling with the Pelicans on their three-game Pacific Division road trip.
The Pelicans want to start much faster in 2022-23, particularly given the stiff competition presented by the Western Conference. The NBA schedulemaker did New Orleans no favors by putting eight of the first 11 contests on the road, starting with a two-game road trip to Brooklyn (Wednesday) and Charlotte (Friday) this week.
While the Pelicans are dealing with their own set of player-availability issues right now, the Nuggets have not had Nikola Jokic (hamstring) for the past two games. Michael Porter Jr. (personal reasons) will not be available Tuesday; key reserve Bones Hyland (finger) is questionable.
Starting wings Herb Jones (health and safety protocols) and Brandon Ingram (toe) are already ruled out, while Dyson Daniels, Trey Murphy and Larry Nance Jr. are questionable to play against the Pacers.
It’s been nearly two months since the Pelicans played a game in which both Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram were DNPs, with them going 7-4 during this recent stretch with Ingram out of action due to a toe injury.
New Orleans will try to produce a much better outcome Thursday (8 p.m. Central, Bally Sports, 99.5 FM) in a rematch against the Jazz, and avoid a season-series sweep vs. a club that’s been much better than NBA analysts predicted.
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