Pelicans at Lakers
Anthony Davis will be on the floor against his possible future team when the New Orleans Pelicans visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Davis requested a trade in late January but the Pelicans declined the offer from the Lakers and the perennial All-Star has been playing reduced minutes as New Orleans attempts to protect his trade value.
Davis didn't play when the Lakers visited New Orleans on Saturday but the Pelicans still posted a 128-115 victory. Davis had 18 points in 21 minutes during Monday's 111-110 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers for the club's 12th setback in the past 18 games. The Lakers lost six of their past eight games after dropping a 110-105 decision to the host Memphis Grizzlies on Monday and forward LeBron James is trying to push his teammates who may not understand the urgency. "If you're distracted by playoff pushes, out of all the stuff that's been talked about this year -- just come and do your job, do our job at a high level," James told reporters afterward. "That's not a distraction. That's what you want. That's what you want every game. You want to feel like you're fighting for something."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FS New Orleans, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (27-35): Davis was on the bench watching when New Orleans needed a last-second, game-winning shot on Monday and he said he is having a hard time staying in a good flow under the minutes' restriction. Davis and coach Alvin Gentry had a discussion about changing his substitution pattern to see if that would help a situation that is slated to last the remainder of the season. "That way I can stay in a rhythm longer," Davis told reporters. "I've never been a guy who sat in the fourth quarter, you know, so it's a little tough. But I'll sit on the bench and cheer for these guys and they did a good job."
ABOUT THE LAKERS (29-31): James has become increasingly frustrated in recent weeks with the inconsistency of a club that is trying to halt a five-season playoff drought but had a more even-keel approach after Monday's loss. "Just to stay positive and keep knocking on the door," James told reporters of how the squad needs to handle the final stretch of the season. "I feel like if we play like we did (Monday), then we've got to continue that consistent effort to get us over this hump while we make this push." Forward Brandon Ingram scored 32 points against Memphis for the second-highest output of his three-year career and he is averaging 29.3 points over the last three contests.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams split two meetings this season after the Pelicans won all three of last season's matchups.
2. James had 11 assists against Memphis to move into 10th place on the all-time list with 8,535.
3. New Orleans SF Darius Miller (ankle) is expected to miss his third straight game.