The Pelicans will be without Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Naji Marshall in their matchup against the Raptors tonight in the Smoothie King Center. Larry Nance Jr., however, will be available after missing the last game against the Thunder with a sore right shoulder.
The return of New Orleans’ backup center is an important one. There is no team that’s bought into smaller lineups as much as Toronto. Their preferred starting five, for instance, consists of no one taller than the average power forward.
“It just seems that’s where basketball is headed,” Nance said after this morning’s shootaround.