The New Orleans Pelicans listed veteran power forward Derrick Favors as doubtful against the Oklahoma City Thunder for Saturday's matchup.
Pelicans injury report – 11/2 at OKC:
OUT: Darius Miller (Right Achilles Surgery), Zion Williamson (Right Knee Scope)
DOUBTFUL: Derrick Favors (Right Knee Soreness)— Pelicans PR (@PelicansPR) November 1, 2019
The 28-year-old Favors has missed the past two games for the Pelicans with a right knee injury. He was acquired by New Orleans in the offseason in a July trade with the Utah Jazz for two future second-round picks.
Favors, likely in place of the injured Zion Williamson, has been averaging 8.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 20.3 minutes per game in the Pelicans' first three regular-season contests. Favors is a career 11.6-point scorer in his 10-year tenure, mostly with Jazz.
Jahlil Okafor, former third-overall selection from the 2015 NBA Draft, started for New Orleans in the past two games — during Thursday's win over the Denver Nuggets and the loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The Bayou franchise has also seen rookie Nicolo Melli play big minutes in the starting frontcourt. The 28-year-old European import is a first-year stretch five big man, who is shooting 38.5 percent from 3-point range in five games. He started in Thursday's win.
The Pelicans could also start Brandon Ingram at power forward. Ingram, 22, was acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart in the Anthony Davis trade. Ingram, the former second-overall pick from the 2016 draft, is averaging career-best numbers through the early part of the 2019-20 season and could be in line for an extension.
Nevertheless, Williamson's absence and now Favors' injury has demonstrated the lacking depth for New Orleans at power forward.
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