NEW ORLEANS, La. – As expected, the New Orleans pelicans will be using the rest of their seeding games as opportunities to evaluate their bench.
Pelicans Head Coach Alvin Gentry said in a press conference on Monday that the team will be without Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Jrue Holiday tomorrow night when they play the Sacramento Kings.
All 3 were listed on the team’s injury report, but Gentry says it’s nothing serious.
Gentry says, “It’s precautionary. Obviously some of them have been banged up kind of most of the season and stuff, so it’s just a precautionary thing, really. I think we sat down and just agreed that it’s the right thing to do right now.”
All signs point to Pelicans point Guard Lonzo Ball playing in Tuesday’s game.
Since entering the Orlando bubble, Lonzo has struggled in all 6 seeding games, shooting 26% from the field and just 19% from 3.
“I think this is all so different to everyone. I’m not worried about Zo. I know he’s going to be fine. I know when we line up to play again, he’s going to be OK. I know it’s frustrating for him because everyone wanted to come down here and play well, and it just didn’t work out that way in some situations. I think the effort was there, and he’s very good at trying to get everybody else involved. He’s disappointed, but I don’t think it’s anything that I would spend any time worrying about because I think he’s going to be fine,” says Gentry.
When asked about his struggles, Ball says, “I feel like I let the team down. I know I’m a big part of it. Usually, when I play well, we win. Obviously, I didn’t play well this trip. We’re going home early, and I have to live with that.”
Despite the disappointing end to their regular season, Lonzo says that when the team takes a step back and reviews the season as a whole, there is a lot to build off of heading into next year.
I don’t feel like the whole season should be put on the bubble. I look at the whole year. I think we made a lot of growth. We’re fortunate to be here after losing thirteen in a row, so the fact that that we were here showed our fight towards the end. I’m proud of that.”