Pelicans' Tyreke Evans questionable for Game 2
SAN FRANCISCO – As if the challenge of stopping the Golden State Warriors while fully healthy wasn't daunting enough for the New Orleans Pelicans in their first-round playoff matchup.
They might have to do it without their most important perimeter player now.
One day after a left knee injury limited Tyreke Evans to 12 minutes in the Pelicans 106-99 loss in Game 1, the Pelicans guard said on Sunday that he's a gametime decision for Game 2 on Monday. An MRI revealed a bone bruise, and Evans plans on spending every waking minute either resting or rehabilitating before the next tipoff with the hopes of playing.
Evans suffered the injury in a collision with the Warriors' Andre Iguodala, who – as Evans remembered it – "made a cut, and we banged knees pretty hard. I tried to go, but I just felt like a sharp pain in my knee and knew something wasn't right. So I went back and had the doctor look at it."
Evans walked into Pelicans practice at the University of San Francisco without a hitch in his gait, but he did not plan on taking part. The main concern, he said, is that he has yet to push off on the leg or run at full speed.
Evans is one of the best rim-attackers in the game, a wiz at penetrating and scoring or finding teammates for open shots on the wing, so his pivot leg is absolutely vital to his game. He is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, as he averaged 16.6 points, 6.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds for this Pelicans team that finished 45-37.
"I think (his absence) changes a lot, (because of) just me getting to the basket, creating for Eric (Gordon) and Quincy (Pondexter) to shoot the ball," Evans said. "I definitely wish I could go out there and help my guys. We came this far, so hopefully I can go out there and play well.
"(But) if you can't run full speed against this team, you don't want to be out there going half-ass. The doctor said if I can't go how I want, then just shut it down. It's sore, but better than yesterday."
The Pelicans do have depth at the guard positions, with Jrue Holiday and Norris Cole taking on a heavier load with Evans out. And while Evans wants to play, he made it clear he'll only play if he's confident he can be effective.