New Orleans Pelicans vs Utah Jazz: preview and player stats (Apr 8, 2027)

Injury/Illness - Bilateral Patellar Tendinopathy (2026-11-13, MEM@NOP). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): Murphy (knee) is listed as doubtful for Friday's game against the Grizzlies. Murphy is now in line to miss a third consecutive contest with a knee issue. Herbert Jones should continue to start for the Pelicans on Friday, but Saddiq Bey is likely to notice a larger bump in fantasy value.

Injury/Illness - Left Knee Contusion / Bone Bruise (2026-11-13, MEM@NOP). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): Missi (knee) is listed as doubtful for Friday's game against the Grizzlies. The doubtful tag is Missi's first since going down with a knee bone bruise in late October, signaling he's at least inching closer toward returning. Karlo Matkovic is in line for at least one more start at center for the Pelicans on Friday.

Injury/Illness - Left Elbow Infection (2026-11-13, MEM@NOP). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): McGowens (elbow) is listed as doubtful for Friday's game against the Grizzlies. McGowens is expected to miss the first leg of this back-to-back set due to a left elbow infection. With Trey Murphy (knees) and Bennedict Mathurin (thumb) also doubtful to play, Jordan Poole, AJ Johnson and Herbert Jones are in line for increased burn.

Injury/Illness - Right Thumb Sprain (2026-11-13, MEM@NOP). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): Mathurin (thumb) is listed as doubtful for Friday's game against Memphis. Mathurin is expected to miss a second consecutive contest with a right thumb sprain. The Pelicans are also listing Trey Murphy (knees), Yves Missi (knee) and Bryce McGowens (elbow) as doubtful, so the team could be shorthanded in the front end of this back-to-back set. If Mathurin is ruled out, Jordan Poole and Herbert Jones would be candidates for increased minutes.

Injury/Illness - Right Ankle Sprain (2026-11-13, MEM@NOP). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): Watford (ankle) is listed as out for Friday's game against the Grizzlies. Friday marks a third consecutive absence for Watford, who has no timetable for a return with a sprained ankle. His absence solidifies DeAndre Jordan's spot in the center rotation.

G League - Two-Way (2026-11-13, MEM@NOP).

G League - Two-Way (2026-11-13, MEM@NOP).

Injury/Illness - Right Hand Fracture (2026-11-13, UTA@HOU). Prior reporting (2026-11-11): Markkanen has been diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture in his right hand and will be sidelined for at least one month, Shams Charania of ESPN reports. Markkanen has missed two straight games due to what was being described as a right wrist sprain, but it appears the issue was much worse than initially thought. The talented big man now joins Jusuf Nurkic (foot) and Jaren Jackson (knee) on Utah's long-term injury list, while Keyonte George's status moving forward is unclear while dealing with an ankle sprain. Given all of the injuries, Ace Bailey and Darryn Peterson will have to lead the offense, while Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabaugh, Svi Mykhailiuk, Josh Okogie and Josh Green are candidates for increased roles.

Injury/Illness - Right MCL Tear (2026-11-13, UTA@HOU). Prior reporting (2026-10-27): Jackson has been diagnosed with a torn MCL in his right knee and will be sidelined for 6-to-8 weeks, per Shams Charania of ESPN. Jackson sustained the injury early in Monday's loss to Memphis, and he's now expected to miss at least a month and a half of action. The star big man's absence creates a major void in the Utah lineup, one that is likely to be filled by a timeshare of Jaxson Hayes (shoulder), Kyle Filipowski and Mo Bamba. The Jazz could also shift Lauri Markkanen (wrist), when healthy, to the center spot at times, perhaps allowing Ace Bailey to spend more time at power forward.

Injury/Illness - Right 2nd Plantar Plate Tear (2026-11-13, UTA@HOU). Prior reporting (2026-11-06): Nurkic (toe) has begun participating in on-court activities as he continues recovering from a right foot injury sustained during an Oct. 4 preseason game against Denver. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks, the Jazz announced Friday. Nurkic is progressing in his recovery, but the two-week re-evaluation timeline indicates he remains some distance from returning to game action. His absence should continue to create opportunities in Utah's frontcourt, with Jaxson Hayes and Mo Bamba among the players positioned to benefit from additional playing time. Nurkic's next evaluation will provide a clearer picture of his potential return date.

G League - Two-Way (2026-11-13, UTA@HOU).

G League - Two-Way (2026-11-13, UTA@HOU).

G League - Two-Way (2026-11-13, UTA@HOU). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): Alexander won't play Wednesday against the Grizzlies due to a left knee bone bruise. Alexander sat out Friday's preseason finale with what the team initially described as a left knee injury, but we now know he's dealing with a bone bruise. Don't be surprised if Alexander misses Friday's game against the Pelicans as well.