NBA
Both Pelicans Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr. are listed as probable to play tonight in Toronto
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All posts by Antonio KozlowUpdated23 Feb 2023
After suffering an injury for almost a month and missing out on the last 11 matches before entering the All-Star Break, Pelicans rookie Dyson Daniels might make his big return Thursday in Toronto. As he is listed as probable for tonight’s clash against the Raptors, so is veteran Larry Nance Jr..
The injury list at the New Orleans camp has been packed this past months, including E.J. Liddell who’s been recovering from and right knee ACL, the G-League two-way Deron Seabron and of course, star Zion Williamson. This last one was expected to return right after the All-Star weekend, but has suffered a setback in his process and won’t be back for at least a couple of weeks.
Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr. listed as probable against Toronto on Thursday #Pelicans | @MorrisBartLLC https://t.co/cVIQwGS4Pk
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 22, 2023
Daniels’ possible return to the court just means bad news for opposing offenses. Even though he is just 19 years of age, he’s already proven great at using his length without fouling, locating the basketball, and navigating screens. There is no doubt he will become a special defender in this league.
Also, Dyson Daniels is often tasked with defending the opposing team’s best player thanks to his ability to get over screens, mirror with his outstanding footwork, and great technique off the ball. The rookie is producing at least 1 steal per game and rebounding 3.5 this season.
As for his attacking qualities, his stats are impressive as he’s only expected to improve with age. After only averaging 19.9 minutes over 39 contests this campaign, he’s achieved 4.5 points and 2.5 assists per match. What most stands out is his effiency, as he’s dropped 44.5% of his field goal attempts so far.
One of his best performances of the tournament also came from in a match against the Raptors, back in November. The guard hit 14 points, handed out 9 assists and won 8 rebounds that night in New Orleans.
Watch his highlights of this clash as the Pelicans beat Toronto 126 to 108:
After being sidelined due to a right ankle sprain, let’s hope its time for Daniels to put back his uniform tonight at 6:30pm ET in the Canadian city. Meanwhile, reserve center Larry Nance Jr. seems to be recovered from his left core muscle injury, after only missing a couple of matches for his club.
The big man is less impactful this season than Daniels, of course, but he is a regular rotation player for New Orleans. The 30-year-old has played in 48 matches of this championship so far, averaging 22.7 minutes. He’s been able to drop 8 points per contest, adding 6 rebounds and 1.9 assists up to the All-Star break.
Arguably his best performance of recent games was this past January 31st, as he scored 13 points for the Pelicans in only 21 minutes on court against Denver, as his efficiency on field goal attempts is a fierce 61.9% this season. That night, he also reached 11 rebounds, as the center is a six-foot-eight big man.
Most of our favorite sport betting sites consider the New Orleans squad to possess the 13th best odds (+6000) to win the NBA title this campaign, which is a huge drop considering they entered this year with the 7th best chances, back when they were on a roll and Zion Williamson was healthy.
