New Orleans Pelicans DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Toronto Raptors guard/forward Bruce Brown (knee) will not play on Thursday against Cleveland. After playing in each of the last three games, Brown will sit out Thursday's action for knee management purposes. The 28-year-old has appeared in only five games this season, providing 5.4 points in 18.0 minutes, so he won't be a significant miss for the team. Rookie Ja'Kobe Walter might pick up some additional work on Thursday, but he has been quiet recently after the Raptors got their key players back from injury.

The New Orleans Pelicans announced forward Zion Williamson (injury maintenance) is unavailable for Wednesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. As expected, Williamson will sit out the second half of back-to-back contests after returning on Tuesday in a 104-97 loss to the Timberwolves. In his return the 24-year-old posted 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block in 28 minutes after missing 30 games this season after dealing with a right hamstring strain. Javonte Green will likely gain some extra playing time during Williamson's absence.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (elbow) has been upgraded to available ahead of Tuesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Murray was uncertain coming into this game due to a lingering right elbow issue. The injury doesn't appear to have impacted his performance on the court. Murray finished with a triple-double during Sunday's game against the Washington Wizards. The Pelicans are likely going to monitor Murray, but the expectation is that he'll play his regular role on Tuesday.

The New Orleans Pelicans announced forwardZion Williamson(hamstring) will return against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. After recovering from a hamstring strain, Williamson will see his first action since Nov. 6. He looked good during the early parts of the season before getting injured, registering 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks in six contests. Fantasy managers should expect the 24-year-old to see limited minutes initially since he's been out for over two months.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Trey Murphy III (ankle) will not suit up for Tuesday's contest against Minnesota. He injured his left ankle on Sunday against Washington and will sit out at least one game. However, Murphy III is expected to make a quick return, as the team considers him day-to-day. Brandon Boston Jr. and Jordan Hawkins might play larger roles in the rotation with Murphy III out, although this will depend on Zion Williamson's (hamstring) status. The high-flying star is on track to return to action this week and has been listed as questionable for Tuesday's game.