The New Orleans Pelicans just played one of their better games of the season while short-handed.
They expect to be stronger when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
On Monday night, the Pelicans defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers 113-93 despite the absence of their top two scorers: Zion Williamson (illness) and Brandon Ingram (toe). In addition, another starter, Herbert Jones Jr., was sidelined due to health and safety protocol.
Two more key rotation players, Trey Murphy III and Dyson Daniels, also were out, both because of non-COVID illnesses.
Williamson, who has missed the past three games, said after practice Tuesday that he would play against the Wolves, and coach Willie Green said Murphy and Daniels are probable.
Ingram will miss the Wednesday contest, and Jones was listed as questionable.
New Orleans gave at least 17 minutes to all nine players that were available Monday and all but one scored.
Despite the absences, New Orleans held Indiana to 38 first-half points, the fewest it has allowed in a half this season. The Pacers’ 93 points were the third fewest the Pelicans have allowed in a game.
The Pelicans have won 12 of their last 14 home games, with losses in that stretch against the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
New Orleans has won three straight games while shorthanded, while Minnesota has lost three straight amid key absences.
All-Star Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) has missed the last month and three rotational players – Kyle Anderson (back), Taurean Prince (shoulder) and Jordan McLaughlin (calf) – missed a 113-110 loss at Miami on Monday.
The Wolves shot 54.4 percent from the floor but committed 22 turnovers. That helped the Heat take 102 shots compared to Minnesota’s 79.
The Wolves forced Miami into a missed shot with 2.5 seconds left, but couldn’t attempt a potential tying shot because of a turnover that head coach Chris Finch called “fitting.”
Minnesota has averaged 106 points during the losing streak, which was preceded by a three-game winning streak in which it averaged 126 points. It has lost five of its last six games on the road.
The Wolves will play the third game of a four-game road trip while the Pelicans are playing the middle game of a three-game homestand.
