The New Orleans Pelicans will try to reach the playoffs without point guard Tyreke Evans, who will undergo a knee surgery that is expected to make him miss the rest of the 2015–16 National Basketball Association (NBA) season.
Yahoo Sports reported the likely absence of Evans, who, according to a source, will see specialists this week to arrange the surgery.
Evans already had an arthroscopic surgery for his right knee last October, although lately, it is troubling him again.
Because of the nagging knee problem, Evans was limited to only 25 games and with him going through another surgery and New Orleans likely missing the playoffs, that might have been the season for him.
The former Rookie of the Year averaged 15.2 points (third-best for the Pelicans), 5.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.3 steals in 30.6 minutes played per outing.
However, it is not all bad for the Pelicans who have two quality point guards in Norris Cole and Jrue Holiday filling in gap that Evans left.
Cole is a young playmaker who already has championship experience during his stint with the Miami Heat, while Holiday is a former All-Star and can turn up the scoring on any given night.
Unfortunately, Evans is already the third player out who is a major part of the rotation for New Orleans out due to an injury.
Guard Eric Gordon has been sidelined because of a finger woe, while forward Quincy Pondexter who has not seen action this season had a season-ending left knee surgery last month.
These injuries are major setbacks for the Pelicans who are failing to match the hype they had entering the 2015–16 NBA season.
The Pelicans are 12th in the Western Conference standings with a 20–32 record, a bit distant from the eighth and last playoff spot held by the Utah Jazz who are holding a 26–26 record.
