The New Orleans Pelicans will be short-handed once again Saturday when they take on the Miami Heat.
On Saturday afternoon, the team downgraded guard Lonzo Ball (right adductor), guard JJ Redick (left big toe sprain) and center Jahlil Okafor (left ankle sprain) from questionable to out.
They also downgraded forward Brandon Ingram (right knee soreness) from probable to questionable.
If Ingram sits against Miami, the Pelicans could be down seven players.
Ingram told reporters that he hyperextended the knee against Charlotte on Nov. 9 but planned to play against Houston on Tuesday. After going through his pregame warm-ups, Ingram was scratched just before tipoff.
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said Ingram’s MRI on Wednesday came back clean.
Guard Josh Hart, who missed Thursday’s win over the Clippers, had already been ruled out with left ankle and left knee sprains. Darius Miller is out with an Achilles injury, and Zion Williamson is missing time after surgery on his meniscus.
Ball has missed the last three games with his adductor injury. He was injured against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 2 but played the next two games. He left the Nov. 4 game against Brooklyn with cramps and then was pulled from the Nov. 8 game against Toronto after favoring his right leg in the third quarter.
Okafor injured his ankle late against the Rockets on Tuesday and missed the Clippers game.
Redick, who scored 19 points against the Clippers and had averaged 21.7 points in the last three games without Ball, injured his foot late against Los Angeles. He left the Smoothie King Center with a slight limp on Thursday night.
Miami will also be missing some pieces. The team said that Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler are questionable with an illness, while Justise Winslow (concussion), Derrick Jones (hip) and KZ Okpala (left Achilles strain) are out.
Courtesy: ESPN.com
