Roughly 90 minutes before tip-off of Friday’s nationally-televised game vs. San Antonio, Alvin Gentry reiterated what he said at this morning’s shootaround, that it is expected that Anthony Davis and Omer Asik will play for the Pelicans.
The frontcourt players are much-needed against a Spurs team that features Hall of Fame-bound Tim Duncan, as well as the NBA offseason’s marquee pickup, LaMarcus Aldridge. San Antonio’s frontcourt is rounded out by Kawhi Leonard, who’s off to an outstanding start to 2015-16, leading the Spurs in scoring.
Gentry said Davis will play “unless something happens in the next hour, which I don’t anticipate. I think he’s ready to go. Omer will play also.”
Evans said earlier Friday that he hopes to return to the New Orleans lineup in one week. Evans, who was New Orleans’ second-leading scorer last season, has been sidelined since mid-October right knee surgery.
“He’s done some things and is pain-free, basically,” Gentry said of Evans. “He’s a tough guy. He wants to be out there, but we’re not going to put him out there unless our medical guys are sure nothing’s going to happen.”
Gentry called Evans’ return on schedule.
“His minutes will be a little bit limited (short term), but he’s not going to be a 10-minute guy coming back or anything like that,” Gentry said. “As to what it’s going to be exactly, we’re not sure. But it’s not going to be (as few as) 10 or 15 minutes, I pretty much know that.”
