Pelicans vs. Timberwolves: Zion, Ingram Hope To End Two-Game Skid

NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans (4-3) travels to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves (4-2) Wednesday night in a Western Conference matchup. The T-Wolves are winners of three straight games, while the Pelicans dropped their last two games. New Orleans is dealing with a host of injuries.

The Pels will play without CJ McCollum (lung), Jose Alvarado (ankle), Naji Marshall (knee), and Trey Murphy III (knee). Forward Herb Jones is listed as questionable for the game after injuring his fibula during Monday night's loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Early season injuries have allowed rookie Jordan Hawkins extended playing time, and he's made the most of his opportunities. Hawkins is averaging 12.6 points per game, including a career-high 31 points in Denver on Monday. Through seven games of his career, the rookie tied the NBA record for most three-point shots made through seven games (20).

Minnesota boasts one of the NBA's best defenses in the league. They are No. 1 in defensive rating, opponents points per game, and opponent field goal percentage. With two seven-footers in the lineup of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Wolves are near the top of the NBA in preventing teams from scoring in the paint.

All-Star forward Anthony Edwards leads their offensive attack with 28.2 points on 47% shooting from beyond the arc. If Herb Jones is a no-go for Wednesday's game, the Pelicans will need to find creative ways to guard Edwards. Minnesota has six players who score in double-figures per game.

PELICANS NEED ZION AND B.I.

Zion Williamson looks to duplicate his efforts the last time he faced the Wolves. Williamson scored a career-high 43 points last season in a December victory over Minnesota. Zion averages 28.5 points and 7.2 rebounds in six career games versus the Wolves. New Orleans must shake their recent third-quarter mishaps to get back on track.

Four of the last five opponents have outscored the Pelicans by double-digits in the third quarter. Their last two opponents scored over 40 points versus the Pels. Minnesota ranks towards the bottom of the league in second-half scoring, so New Orleans doesn't need to give the Wolves any opportunity for hope in the second half. The Pelicans allowed a season-high 134 points to the Nuggets on Monday.

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is trying to find his groove after missing three games early in the season. Ingram averages 20.8 points a game and is shooting 50% from the field since returning from injury. B.I., like Williamson, had a major scoring game versus the Wolves last season. Ingram scored 42 points in an April loss to Minnesota.

The Wolves won the season series 2-1 last season, with each team finishing with a 42-40 record. The tiebreaker allowed the Wolves to grab the No. 8 seed in the West a season ago. This positioned them for NBA Play-In Tournament seeding.