NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Pelicans are hanging onto a Play-In spot after going 1-2 last week.
With just 18 games left in the regular season, the Pels are 31-33 with a crucial home stretch starting later this week. They are a half-game ahead of the 10th seed and two and a half games behind the 6th seed.
On Monday night, they will end their west coast road trip in Sacramento against the Kings.
After the Kings game, they will return home for three games this week against the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Thunder and the Blazers are 30-34 and just a game behind the Pelicans. If the Pels were to drop either of those games this week, they could lose hold of their Play-In spot.
When the Pelicans return to New Orleans, Zion Williamson is set to have medical imaging done on his hamstring. It's unknown when Williamson will return, but the team does expect him to return at some point this season.
New Orleans Pelicans color analyst Antonio Daniels spoke about Williamson returning this year on the Pro Pels Talk podcast and said, “I do, I do believe he will come back before the end of the year because I haven’t heard anything to believe any different. On every road trip, I see him in the pool working his tail off. while the team is at practice or shootaround. He is trying like crazy to get himself back.”
The Pelicans have lost 19 of 27 games played in 2023 without Williamson in the lineup.
On Monday night, the Pels could also be without Jonas Valanciunas (left calf) he's missed the last two games.
Jose Alvarado (right tibial stress reaction), Larry Nance Jr. (left ankle sprain), and Josh Richardson (personal reasons) will all miss Monday's game against the Kings.
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