Jan 3, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1), center Yves Missi (21) and teammates watch from the bench during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

New Starting Lineup Announced In Bucks-Pelicans

Originally posted on New Orleans Pelicans on SI
By Terry Kimble | Last updated Apr 6, 2025 8:37 PM ET

The New Orleans Pelicans host the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night, and they will again employ a different starting lineup this season. Guard Jose Alvarado is out on Sunday with a calf injury after scoring a season-high 27 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. New Orleans will use their 43rd different starting lineup against the Bucks.

Milwaukee is also shuffling their lineup around, with the announcement coming just before the game that Bucks' forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is out with a shoulder injury. He joins his star teammate, Damian Lillard, who continues to be out with a blood clot in his calf. Elfrid Payton will get his first start with the Pelicans since re-signing with the team on a 10-day contract.

Lineup alert: Pelicans will start Payton, Brown, Reeves, Brooks, Missi on Sunday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 7, 2025

The Pelicans have been decimated by injury this season, suffering season-ending injuries to Trey Murphy III, CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, and Herb Jones. New Orleans has the second-worst record in the Western Conference and will have a high draft pick in this year's upcoming NBA Draft.

Pelicans head coach Willie Green and his staff did not envision this season going the way it did. His team won 49 games last season, the second-most in franchise history, and qualified for the playoffs. After New Orleans acquired former All-Star guard Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks, many thought the Pelicans would be true contenders in the Western Conference.

Sunday Hoops

: vs Bucks
: GCSEN/Pelicans+
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⏰: 7:30 PM CT#Pelicans | @SmoothieKing pic.twitter.com/0hJYLMkKLu
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 6, 2025

However, during the season-opening game versus the Chicago Bulls, Murray fractured his left hand, causing him to miss significant time. He, Zion, Brandon Ingram, and McCollum never played a single regular season game together this year. Now, Ingram has been traded to the Toronto Raptors, and the Pelicans must tweak their roster to contend for a playoff spot again next season.

This article first appeared on New Orleans Pelicans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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