Pistons at Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans keep getting hit with injuries and will be
without starting shooting guard Eric Gordon when they host the Detroit
Pistons on Thursday. Gordon underwent surgery to repair a fractured
right ring finger Wednesday and will be sidelined four-to-six weeks.
Gordon, who averages 14.9 points per game, was injured during Tuesday's victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. His loss continues a season-long trend in which the Pelicans have found themselves without key players such as guard Tyreke Evans for a sustained period, star power forward Anthony Davis for a few short stints and small forward Quincy Pondexter for the entire season. Detroit opened a four-game road trip with an impressive 123-114 road victory over the Houston Rockets. Not so impressive was the free-throw shooting of center Andre Drummond, who set an NBA record by missing 23 free throws on a franchise-record 36 attempts.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE PISTONS (23-19): Drummond had 17 points and 11 rebounds against the Rockets for his sixth consecutive double-double but only attempted four shots from the field as Houston employed the strategy to foul the 35.4 percent free-throw shooter. The Rockets intentionally fouled Drummond 21 times and his 23 misses eclipsed the record shared by Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (22 on Dec. 1, 1967) and Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (22 earlier this season). "I'm not going to miss them all," Drummond said afterward. "I've worked on it enough where I'm going to build a rhythm and over time I ended up getting one."
ABOUT THE PELICANS (14-27): Gordon and backup forward Alonzo Gee were the only players to participate in each game of the first half of the season, and Gordon's streak will end against the Pistons. Gordon's absence could lead to Evans sliding over to shooting guard as point guard Jrue Holiday is ready to move into the starting lineup after having his minutes managed most of the season in his return from a broken leg. "We have these two weeks left to really get back into it, and we want it," Holiday told reporters in regards to New Orleans making a run for the final Western Conference playoff spot.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Davis averaged 33 points, 11.5 rebounds and six blocks as the Pelicans won both of last season's meetings.
2. Detroit SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 22 points against Houston for his sixth 20-point outing in 10 games.
3. Holiday is averaging 21 points on 16-of-27 shooting and nine assists in the past two games.