Injury Woes for the New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans managed to snap their losing streak on Monday, marking a much-needed return to the win column. However, the path to climbing out of the depths of the Western Conference remains steep. As they aim to regain their footing, the pressing question centers around the return of key players Jordan Poole and Herb Jones.
Herb Jones Faces Extended Absence
The Pelicans announced on Monday that Herb Jones will be sidelined for “at least another week” due to a right calf strain, as reported by NBA insider Marc Stein. This injury has already kept Jones out of the last two games, and it is anticipated that he will miss at least the next three contests. A potential return could align with the Pelicans’ home games against Minnesota on December 2 or December 4. In Jones’ absence, Saddiq Bey has stepped into the starting role, displaying commendable performance and likely continuing to do so for the foreseeable future.
Jordan Poole’s Recovery Progress
Meanwhile, Jordan Poole, who has not played in the past 11 games, received clearance to resume basketball activities on Monday. Despite this positive development, interim head coach James Borrego indicated on Tuesday that Poole is still not engaging in contact drills during practice, according to reports. However, Borrego confirmed that the veteran guard participated in some on-court activities, hinting at a gradual return to full health.
Upcoming Challenges Against the Grizzlies
With the current circumstances, it appears that both Poole and Jones are set to miss the upcoming game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. Poole’s next opportunity to make his comeback could be on Saturday against the Golden State Warriors, where a return against his former team in San Francisco would be particularly poignant. Yet, for Poole to be considered even questionable for that game, he needs to show significant progress in the coming days.
The injury list does not end there. Karlo Matkovic is out due to a calf injury, while Dejounte Murray continues to recover from an Achilles injury and is not expected to return until after New Year’s. Additionally, the status of Jordan Hawkins, who missed the previous game against the Bulls for personal reasons, remains uncertain.
Pelicans Look to Build Momentum
As the Pelicans gear up to face the Grizzlies at Smoothie King Center, they have a chance to build on their recent victory and potentially start a mini win streak. Memphis, while showing some improvement lately, carries a record of 6-12 and is grappling with their own set of injuries. Key players Ja Morant, Scotty Pippen Jr., Tyus Jones, and Brandon Clarke remain out, and Zach Edey left Monday’s game against the Nuggets with a head injury, leaving his status uncertain.
In this landscape of injuries and recovery, the Pelicans must leverage their home advantage and capitalize on the Grizzlies’ struggles to forge ahead in the competitive Western Conference.
