New Orleans at Golden State

Time: 9:30 PM CST (NBA LP)

Spread: NO -1.5

Total: 222.5

PELICANS NEWS & NOTES:

The New Orleans Pelicans are just 7-22, New Orleans has had some injury issues, or one major one anyway: Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft, has yet to play this season. Even without him, and with a losing record, the Pelicans have quite a few reasons to be encouraged.

Paramount in those “encouraging aspects” is one Brandon Ingram. He has nearly doubled his scoring average as a Pelican, showing all of the promises he was initially thought to have when the L.A. Lakers selected him No. 2 overall. Ingram is averaging 24.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.7 blocks/steals, and those notions of a “Next Kevin Durant,” no longer look absurd as they did during his tenure as a Laker.

Jrue Holiday has quietly been sensational, as well. He is averaging 19.3 points per game, five rebounds and 2.7 steals/blocks, making his biggest impact on the defensive end but still (clearly) scoring the ball just fine. JJ Redick stepped up with Josh Hart out due to injury, but now that Hart has returned, expect Redick’s role to recede at least a little.

Hart has been a big threat on the boards at just 6’4”, averaging 6.2 rebounds per game to go with his 11.2 points per game.

Lonzo Ball has also been plenty of encouraging and exciting. He is averaging 10.6 points and 5.6 assists per game and his 2.4 A/TO ratio is solid. The Pelicans could be a major threat if Williamson returns healthy and clicking on all cylinders— the rookie looked great in the preseason, even if there is already a black cloud lingering over his career, in terms of health.

WARRIORS NEWS & NOTES: 

The Golden State Warriors are just 5-24 on the season and in the last place in the Pacific division.

This is unfamiliar territory from a team that had boasted four All-Stars a season ago. Out is Kevin Durant, who signed with the Brooklyn Nets, while the Warriors are also without sharpshooter Klay Thompson. D’Angelo Russell is a dynamite scorer, but the Warriors are also without Stephen Curry for a long period this season due to an injured wrist. Draymond Green returned from injury last game, but he is the only one of the Warriors top-4 players from a year ago to suit up at this point.

For as good as Russell has been, it has not been enough to carry the Dubs to victories. He is averaging 21.8 points, four rebounds and 6.2 assists per game, but he has had efficiency issues (evidenced by his 18.29 PER). The next on the list of active scorers though is rookie and second-round pick Eric Paschall. He has been impressive, almost like a more offensive (and of course less defensive), Draymond Green. Paschall is averaging 15.9 points, five rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.

Former Utah Jazz swingman Alec Burks should add some more scoring, but the Warriors’ issues have been mostly on the defensive end. Golden State scores just 104 per game. So, with a patched-up roster consisting of a lot of rookies, young talent, discarded reclamation projects (like Willie Cauley-Stein), the Warriors are simply not a team that stacks up to most of the other teams in the Association anymore.