New Orleans Pelicans DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Zion Williamson suffered a right leg contusion against the Clippers on Friday and didn't finish the game. He saw 19 minutes of action, totaling 12 points and six rebounds with one steal and one block. Williamson got ruled out late in the game after it had turned into a blowout, so there's hope he was pulled only for precautionary reasons, and he could be good to go again on Sunday against Sacramento. However, if that's not the case, Larry Nance Jr. will be asked to step up, while Trey Murphy III and Naji Marshall could also get a boost in playing time.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (knee) has received another questionable tag for Friday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers while he deals with tendonitis in his left knee. Murphy didn't make his season debut until December 1 due to injury, but up until he was dealing with this bout of tendonitis, he posted some fantasy-friendly stat lines while coming off the bench. He's averaged 14.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.8 threes per game while only starting in one of his 12 games played. If he's unable to return from his three-game absence, Dyson Daniels and Jose Alvarado will see some extra minutes and willhttps://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2024-01-05_02PM.pdf only become streaming options in deeper leagues.

Indiana Pacers forward Bruce Brown (knee) returned from a five-game absence on Wednesday but is back on the injury report due to a bone bruise on his right knee. Brown has been consistently healthy over the last two seasons, so these issues have come as a bit of a surprise. The bone bruise may not be severe enough to force him to miss Friday's game, so fantasy managers will want to check back after shootaround for any updates. If he doesn't suit up though, Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin would likely see some more minutes while Andrew Nembhard (questionable - back) could start if he is upgraded to active.

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green says forward Trey Murphy III (knee) is out on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves and that he is "still day-to-day." Murphy is dealing with soreness in his left knee, and the 23-year-old sharpshooter will have a chance to end his three-game absence on Friday versus the visiting Los Angeles Clippers. Herbert Jones is starting to regain momentum after a fantastic start to the year, and he has handled greater responsibility on both ends of the floor for New Orleans on occasions when Murphy has been out of the Pelicans' lineup. In 19 games without Murphy, Jones is amassing 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 treys, and 2.9 combined steals and blocks in 30.7 minutes per game, but he draws a tough matchup against a 'Wolves team giving up the fewest points per game (107.5) in 2023-24.

Indiana Pacers guard/forward Bruce Brown (knee) will rejoin the team's lineup on Wednesday versus the Milwaukee Bucks. Brown has missed five consecutive games due to a right knee bone bruise, but he will be back on Wednesday for the first time since Dec. 21. The 27-year-old Swiss Army knife's productivity has fluctuated in Indiana's top-ranked offense with a plethora of weapons around him, but he is still accumulating 11.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 threes per game. Brown does rank second on the Pacers with 30.7 minutes a night. Despite the possibility of a slight minutes cap against the Bucks, Brown should be activated and started in most season-long nine-category fantasy leagues in a game that boasts the highest implied point total (257.5) of Wednesday's huge 12-game slate.