The Pelicans lost more than just their 9th consecutive game to the Oklahoma City Thunder Friday night in the New Orleans Arena.
Reserve swingman Tyreke Evans sprained his left ankle in the third quarter and did not return for the rest of the game. He turned his ankle when he stepped on an opponent's foot while driving to the basket. The team has no word yet on a timeframe for Evans' return.
Evans' ankle was taped. It's the same one he sprained in the preseason opener, which consequently caused him to sit out until the regular season began.
"Tyreke went down and that took away our main guy that gets to the basket and that hurt us a bit," head coach Monty Williams said. "It was just one of those games. I told the guys it was a stinker for us."
With Anthony Davis out, the Pelicans bench has been struggling, since Ryan Anderson, the team's leading scorer, is now playing with the starters. Evans' absence only compounds the difficult quest for bench production. He tallied 11 points and 2 rebounds before his injury Friday night.
Evans is one of only three reserves in the NBA this season to average 11+ points, 3+ rebounds and 3+ assists per game. The other two are the Thunder's Reggie Jackson and the Magic's Victor Oladipo
New Orleans' bench accounted for 34 of the team's 95 points Friday night.
The team now gets some much needed rest and practice time. They don't play again until Wednesday, December 11, when Detroit comes to town.
