Pelicans at Kings
The status of standout power forward Anthony Davis remains in doubt as
the lowly New Orleans Pelicans visit the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
Davis injured his back Friday and missed the past two games,
including Tuesday's 95-91 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
New Orleans is 0-5 when Davis sits out this season and has lost six of its last seven games as it closes a three-game West Coast swing against the Kings. The Pelicans are receiving stellar play from guard Tyreke Evans, who scored 21 points in the loss to the Lakers and is averaging 24.7 points during the last three games. Sacramento is 8-7 in its last 15 games and sits in ninth place in the Western Conference, two games behind the Utah Jazz for the final playoff spot. "We're playing hard; we're playing competitive against some great teams," small forward Rudy Gay told reporters. "We're getting over the hump. There were times where we thought we were stuck playing one way and now we're all learning to play with each other."
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN New Orleans, CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (11-26): Small forward Quincy Pondexter (left knee) hasn't played all season and will be shut down to undergo season-ending surgery. It was crushing news for Pondexter, who previously underwent surgery on the knee in the offseason and felt he was close to returning until doctors discovered cartilage damage. "It was extremely disappointing news," Pondexter told reporters, "but at the end of the day, I have to find a way to get healthy and make sure my knee is 100 percent for the rest of my career."
ABOUT THE KINGS (15-22): Small forward Omri Casspi (back) is expected to play after a four-game absence. He has scored in double digits in 16 of his past 17 games while posting career-best averages of 12.8 points and 6.7 rebounds, and he says he's ready to help Sacramento go on a run. "It's part of an NBA season," Casspi told reporters. "We have a lot of games left and I feel like it's our time now to take a big step forward."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pelicans won three of last season's four meetings.
2. Sacramento C DeMarcus Cousins has posted four consecutive double-doubles and is averaging 32.4 points and 13 rebounds during the past five games.
3. New Orleans G Norris Cole is 10-of-36 shooting during the last four contests.