Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Clippers
When: Thursday, Nov. 14, 8:00 p.m ET
Where: Smoothie King Center
How to watch: Fox Sports New Orleans
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While the New Orleans Pelicans continue to struggle with injuries as Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart each will be out on Thursday, the Los Angeles Clippers enter on an entirely different injury-related path. After going through the opening weeks of the season undermanned, Paul George is expected to make his Clipper debut on Thursday, offering another weapon to one of the sides expected to be amongst the conference’s elites.
George’s status is still officially uncertain for the night but whether it’s Thursday, Saturday or into next week, George will add to the Clippers’ loaded roster. New Orleans, meanwhile, continues to lose players at an alarming rate this season. Hart is the latest edition in the injury report, joining Ball on the sidelines tonight while Brandon Ingram could join them with his status still uncertain. With Zion Williamson still out, the Pelicans are quickly developing a starting five on the injury report that could rival the one put on the court.
There remains the possibility that George doesn’t play on Thursday. With Kawhi Leonard not playing back-to-backs this season and having played on Wednesday, the possibility also remains neither are on the court on Thursday.
The depth the Clippers have, though, can help them absorb the lack of George and Leonard on the court, though they’ve struggled in Leonard’s absence this season. In 236 minutes without Leonard on the floor this season, the Clippers have an offensive rating of 101.3, a defensive rating of 109.3 and a net rating of -8.0. That would rank them the 28th-best offense and the 19th-ranked defense without Leonard this season.
The opportunities will be available with or without George on the court. Whether an undermanned Pelicans team can take advantage of those opportunities will be the key tonight.