New Orleans center Jonas Valanciunas lists Indiana center Domantas Sabonis as his closest friend playing on another NBA team, but a second meeting of the 2021-22 season between the Lithuania natives will not happen Monday, because two-time All-Star Sabonis is sidelined by an ankle injury. Key players out of action is an unfortunate theme of the interconference matchup between the Pacers and Pelicans (7 p.m., Bally Sports, 100.3 FM), who won’t have 2020 All-Star Brandon Ingram due to an ankle sprain.
Indiana rolled to a 111-94 home victory over New Orleans on Nov. 20, but the personnel on both sides has changed dramatically over the past two-plus months.