Knicks vs. Pelicans Preview | April 7
NEW ORLEANS- The New Orleans Pelicans (41-39) welcome the New York Knicks (47-33) to the Smoothie King Center for the regular season finale at home. The Knicks can look forward to the NBA Playoffs but the Pelicans still have work to do to clinch a spot in the postseason. New Orleans is in line for the NBA Play-In Tournament but there is still an outside chance they can sneak in as the sixth seed.
Jose Alvarado (right tibial stress reaction), E.J. Liddell (right knee ACL injury recovery), and Zion Williamson (right hamstring strain) are all out according to the New Orleans injury report. The Knicks will be short-handed as well. RJ Barrett (illness) is listed as questionable. Jalen Brunson (hand injury maintenance), DaQuan Jeffries (right calf strain), Julius Randle (left ankle sprain), and Duane Washington Jr. (bilateral hip soreness) are all listed as out.
The Pelicans needed overtime to beat a Memphis squad that was more akin to a skeleton crew. The Knicks have the talent to turn this Fan Appreciation Night into a nightmare scenario. With frustrations around Zion Williamson's updates building, the paying customers could be quick to voice those concerns if the Pelicans get out to another slow start.
Apr 5, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) reacts to a foul on Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (24) that makes him go out the game during overtime at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
- When: Friday, April 7 @ 7:00 PM CT
- Where: New Orleans, LA - Smoothie King Center
- Watch: Bally Sports NO
- Listen: 99.5 WRNO
Sure the Pelicans are just average (15th) in the NBA’s scoring charts (114.5 PPG) and the Knicks allow the 11th-fewest points per game (112.8) in the league. However, the tale-of-the-tape stat sheet is almost irrelevant with so many Knicks not suiting up. The Pelicans have to take care of what they can control tonight to be taken seriously for the rest of the season.
Former Pelican Josh Hart gave a good scouting report that focused on the bench players.
“We have a lot of stuff covered in terms of who we got guys playing with energy, can score the ball in different ways, can stop other teams from scoring, and just playing smart basketball,” Hart said after the Knicks beat the Washington Wizards. “I think that’s the biggest thing, and when you have three guys come off the bench, like I said before, that could be starters on other teams in this league. Obviously, that’s a great attribute to have.”
Immanuel Quickley is a spark plug on offense that should get Sixth Man of the Year considerations by averaging 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists off the bench this season.
Quickley does most of his work operating in the space created by Jalen Brunson but Quickley will have the keys to the offense tonight. Quentin Grimes and Josh Hart are not exactly lethal three-point sharpshooters but both can push the pace in transition, which has given the Pelicans problems lately.
Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. had just four points each in the win over Memphis. The Grizzlies were playing without a traditional center as Steven Adams has been hurt for months but Jaren Jackson Jr. still poured in 40 points. Valanciunas and Nance Jr. have got to be better against Obi Toppin and Mitchell Robinson.
The burdens of leading the team cannot all be placed on Brandon Ingram and Trey Murphy III. Brunson and Randle are out and Barrett is questionable. The Knicks have the 5th seed locked up. The Pelicans will not have any excuses if they let this game slip away.
Projected Starting Lineups:
Knicks: Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, Josh Hart, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson
Pelicans: CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, Trey Murphy III, Jonas Valanciunas
