Clippers at Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans may not have leading scorer and rebounder Anthony Davis when they host the streaking Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. Davis came down awkwardly on one leg while going up for an offensive rebound with about two minutes left in the third quarter Wednesday at the Denver Nuggets and left the game with 8:44 remaining. He’s underwent an MRI exam on Thursday and was diagnosed with a strained abductor muscle and is listed as day-to-day.
The Clippers have been tough enough to beat lately, winning six straight, though only one of those victories came against a team with a winning record. Los Angeles defeated the Pelicans during a nine-game winning streak earlier this season, as Clippers power forward Blake Griffin scored 30 points and Davis finished with 26, but was held to three rebounds in the 120-100 victory by Los Angeles, a season-low when playing a full game. Los Angeles point guard Chris Paul spent his first six seasons with the New Orleans franchise and is averaging 17.4 points and 11.2 assists in 12 games against his former team.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (32-14): Jamal Crawford strung together two great halves in the last two games and could be primed for a huge game against the Pelicans. He scored 21 of his 23 points in the second half of Monday’s win against the Nuggets and came back with 14 of his in 21 in the first half while starting in place of J.J. Redick in Wednesday’s victory at the Utah Jazz. Redick was a late scratch due to back spasms and is considered day-to-day.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (24-22): Eric Gordon came to New Orleans in the deal that sent Paul to Los Angeles and it’s safe to say the Clippers got the better end of that transaction. Gordon, who just recently turned 26, appears to be on the downside of his career as his scoring average has slipped every season since averaging a career-high 22.3 points in 56 games for the Clippers in 2010-11. He’s down to 12 points a game through 25 contests this season and, once again, it appears as if injuries will prevent him from playing at least 65 games for his seventh straight NBA season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Also included in the trade that sent Gordon to the Pelicans was the second round pick of the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2012, which turned out to be Austin Rivers, the son of Clippers coach Doc Rivers who was traded to Los Angeles earlier this month.
2. Clippers C DeAndre Jordan is shooting a league-best 73 percent from the field, which would top Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record of 72.7 set in the 1972-73 season.
3. Griffin is averaging a career-low 7.6 rebounds but a career-high five assists.