Pelicans at Suns
The New Orleans Pelicans are trying to recover from a disastrous start
and look to notch their third consecutive victory when they visit the
Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. The Pelicans dropped 11 of their first 12
games before winning their last two, including a 122-114 home win over
the Suns on Sunday.
New Orleans is winless in seven road games this season but is about to receive a boost from versatile guard Tyreke Evans, who practiced each of the past two days. Evans underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in October, and both he and coach Alvin Gentry expect him to make his season debut against the Suns. Phoenix has lost back-to-back games and was without standout guard Eric Bledsoe (knee) during Monday's 98-84 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Bledsoe was injured while scoring 29 points against the Pelicans on Sunday and has scored 20 or more points in each of his last eight games.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN New Orleans, FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (3-11): New Orleans has badly missed Evans while adjusting to Gentry's system. Evans averaged 16.6 points and a career-best 6.6 assists last season and said his injured knee feels much better than it did in training camp before undergoing the procedure. "I feel confident about my knee just being stronger from the surgery and the time off," Evans said during Tuesday's media availability. "Just pushing off it, working out before the games, I definitely have extra step in my game just pushing off it compared to training camp when I felt a click."
ABOUT THE SUNS (7-7): Power forward Markieff Morris had his best game of the season in the loss to the Spurs as he scored a season-high 28 points on 12-of-15 shooting and also collected eight rebounds. "We saw the Markieff that we know," Hornacek told reporters. "He was really good. He attacked the basket, was making his jump shot and helped us stay in the game." The stellar outing boosted Morris' season averages to 13.7 points and 5.5 rebounds - which are below his career-best averages of 15.3 and 6.2, respectively, set last season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pelicans have won three of the past four meetings.
2. New Orleans star PF Anthony Davis averaged 26 points and 18.5 rebounds over the past two games - including 32 points and a season-best 19 rebounds against the Suns.
3. Phoenix set a season low for points (84) and a season worst for turnovers (28) in the loss to the Spurs.