The New Orleans Pelicans are in a slump. They have now lost four straight games and dropped to the 14th seed in a stacked Western Conference. While playoff aspirations might be too much of an ask now, they need to bounce back to end the regular season on a high note. They can do that tonight, with the LA Clippers in town! New Orleans will be hosting the Clippers in a much-awaited matchup at the Smoothie King Center tonight. The Pelicans are heading into this game after an agonizing defeat against the Grizzlies, by just 3 points.

Shooting guard Trey Murphy III was the star of the show despite the loss, scoring 27 points along with two assists and five rebounds. New Orleans hopes he can emulate this performance tonight as well. However, they’ll need their big man — Zion Williamson to step up big time. Yes, Williamson has been a bright spot in this rollercoaster of a season for the Pelicans. But injuries have stopped him from taking his game up a notch. So, will he be available tonight?

New Orleans Pelicans injury report ahead of showdown with the LA Clippers

When the season started, everyone tipped the Pelicans to be in contention for a playoff spot, at least. Fast Forward to now, New Orleans is not only far away from a playoff spot, but even a play-in seems unlikely. What has been the cause of this? Well, to put it simply — Injuries. The Pelicans have been hit hard by injuries throughout the season and the situation remains unchanged. Amid the chaos, everyone is eager to know the status of Zion Williamson.

Will he suit up tonight? Yes, the 24-year-old is available for tonight’s clash, as he’s not on the injury report at the moment. Williamson has suited up for just 26 games this season, but whenever he’s on the court, the Pelicans look a much stronger competitor. A Hamstring injury kept him out for a long period of time this season. However, he seems to be getting back in shape now and that’s great news! The former Duke star is averaging 24.5 points this season while shooting 56.3 percent from the field.

While Zion Williamson is set to play in back-to-back games just the second time this season, the rest of the New Orleans injury report remains quite big. A notable absence will be the newly acquired Kelly Olynyk. He is out of tonight’s matchup for resting. Meanwhile, point guard Jose Alvarado is on day-to-day after feeling soreness in his left hip. Not having him might hurt a little to the Pelicans, as he’s quite a handy player. Another guard, Brandon Boston, will not play tonight. He has unfortunately picked up a left ankle stress reaction and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

That’s not all! Small forward, Herbert Jones has undergone a successful procedure to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. So, he’s out. Before sustaining the injury, he was having a solid season averaging 10.3 points. Lastly, Dejounte Murray remains ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a torn right Achilles tendon. This has been a massive blow for the Pelicans as he was a key player in their rotation. So, this brings us to one question: How will New Orleans navigate through these many injuries?

How will the New Orleans Pelicans start with Zion Williamson available for the clash?

Having Zion Williamson will massively boost the Pelicans’ chances to snap their four-game losing streak tonight. Moreover, he will have support from veteran CJ McCollum who’s having an impressive season yet again. However, with Kelly Olynyk resting, Pelicans HC Willie Green will have to make some small adjustments to his line up as they gear up to face the Clippers led by James Harden.

Here’s what the Pelicans starting five could look like:

Ultimately, this will be a stern test for the Pelicans. The Clippers are riding a three-game winning streak and looking to squeeze their way into a playoff spot. So, they’ll be highly competitive tonight. On the flip side, New Orleans is injury-riddled, and even with Zion Williamson back, it will be an uphill battle for them. However, we can always expect the unexpected in the NBA. So, we’ll have to wait and watch who comes out on top tonight at the Smoothie King Center.