Pelicans Rule Lonzo Ball Out vs. Sixers
The New Orleans Pelicans will be missing one of their key players on Friday night when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time this season.
Heading into the matchup, the Pelicans already had a couple of players on the injury report listed as out. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who's dealing with an ankle sprain, and Josh Hart, who is recovering from thumb surgery, were ruled out as early as Thursday night.
Meanwhile, Brandon Ingram, Kira Lewis Jr., and Lonzo Ball were all on the injury report as well listed as questionable. A couple of hours before tip-off, the Pelicans activated Lewis and Ingram, making them available against the Sixers.
Lonzo Ball, on the other hand, won't play. Ball, who has been thriving in his second season with the Pelicans this year, is dealing with a hip flexor. On Thursday night, the veteran guard reported soreness in his hip, and the team decided he wouldn't be good to go against the Sixers on Friday night.
That's a significant blow for the Pelicans, who have been struggling as a whole this year. Coming into the matchup, New Orleans is ranked 11th in the tough Western Conference. Although they had playoff aspirations this season, the Pelicans are just 22-29 on the year.
Despite the struggles, Ball and his teammate Zion Williamson have been notable standouts this year. After having the best season of his career last year, Ball upped the ante this season as he's averaging a career-high of 14 points per game while hitting on 38-percent of his threes in 41 matchups this year.
Unfortunately for New Orleans, they won't have their thriving guard in the lineup on Friday night as he's going to rest after playing through an injury in the previous three games.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.
