The second and final game on Wednesday's play-in tournament schedule is a Western Conference matchup between the 9th-seeded New Orleans Pelicans and the 10th-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. The game will tip off at approximately 9:30 PM EST on ESPN, and the winner will play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. So, when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, and the Thunder visit the Smoothie King Center on Wednesday night to play the Pelicans, every Pelicans fan under the sun wanted to know: Is Larry Nance Jr. playing tonight vs. the Thunder?

Sadly, the answer is no, he is not.

Larry Nance Jr. injury status vs. Thunder

The Pelicans had Nance Jr. listed as questionable for Wednesday's showdown due to left ankle soreness, per the NBA's official injury report. However, the team released the news that the big man will not play. In other injury news relevant to the Pelicans, star forward Zion Williamson (right hamstring strain) will remain out for New Orleans.

Larry Nance Jr., 30, is in his eighth year in the NBA and second as a member of the Pelicans franchise. He averaged 6.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.6 blocks, 0.6 turnovers, and 2.0 personal fouls per game across 65 appearances this season (one start).

Expect Wednesday's matchup between the Pelicans and Thunder to go down to the wire, even without Nance Jr. is in the lineup. After all, the loser will be eliminated from the postseason entirely, so both teams have a lot to play for. But with regard to the question, Is Larry Nance Jr. playing tonight vs. the Thunder, the answer is no.