The status of three New Orleans starters was in doubt when the team’s injury report was released prior to the league’s 1 p.m. deadline Sunday for a back-to-back.
Roughly 100 minutes prior to Sunday’s tip-off against the Los Angeles Lakers, Pelicans head coach Willie Green said it is “more than likely” Brandon Ingram (hamstring) will play against his former NBA team, but that final decision will come after Ingram works out pregame on the court. Green said both CJ McCollum (ankle) and Jonas Valanciunas (foot) are game-time decisions. Larry Nance Jr. (knee) will not play, with Green noting that New Orleans wants to manage Nance’s recent return to the court. Sunday is the first of only two back-to-backs the Pelicans have left on their schedule (April 9-10 is the other).
UPDATE: On the Los Angeles side, LeBron James (knee) and Talen Horton-Tucker (ankle) are both available to play, per Frank Vogel during his pregame press conference.