The New Orleans Pelicans travel to Sacramento for a Western Conference matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. Both teams are dealing with several injuries ahead of the game, which could impact the rotations on both sides.
New Orleans come into the contest with a 25-52 record after a road loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings hold a 20-57 record but recently picked up a win against the Toronto Raptors.
With the regular season nearing its end, both teams will try to finish strong despite missing several important players.
Match Overview
The Pelicans and Kings meet in Sacramento with both teams looking to improve their late-season form. While New Orleans want to end a difficult stretch of results, Sacramento continue to manage a roster heavily affected by injuries.
| Match | New Orleans Pelicans vs Sacramento Kings |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, April 3, 2026 |
| Time | 10:00 PM ET |
| Venue | Golden 1 Center, Sacramento |
| Broadcast | NBA TV |
| Pelicans Record | 25-52 |
| Kings Record | 20-57 |
Pelicans Injury Report
The Pelicans have several players listed on their injury report ahead of the game. The biggest concern surrounds guard Dejounte Murray, who will miss the game as the team continues to manage his workload.
Murray recently returned from a long recovery after missing more than a year with a ruptured Achilles injury. Because the Pelicans played the previous night in Portland, the team has decided to rest him for the second game of the back-to-back.
Forward Trey Murphy III is listed as probable despite dealing with a right ankle sprain. He played significant minutes in the previous game and is expected to remain available.
Bryce McGowens will miss another game due to a fractured toe, while Karlo Matkovic is listed as questionable with back spasms.
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Trey Murphy III | Probable | Right ankle sprain |
| Dejounte Murray | Out | Rest / injury management |
| Bryce McGowens | Out | Toe fracture |
| Karlo Matkovic | Questionable | Back injury |
With Murray unavailable, the Pelicans may rely more heavily on players such as Jordan Poole and Jeremiah Fears. Fears already contributed off the bench in the previous game and could again see extended minutes.
Kings Injury Report
Sacramento enter the game with an even longer injury list. Several key players will miss the matchup, leaving the team with limited options in the rotation.
Malik Monk is listed as questionable due to a right shoulder contusion. If he cannot play, the Kings may turn to Daeqwon Plowden and Devin Carter for additional minutes.
Russell Westbrook has already been ruled out due to a toe injury. In addition, several other players will not return this season as the Kings manage their roster late in the year.
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Malik Monk | Questionable | Shoulder contusion |
| Russell Westbrook | Out | Toe injury |
| Keegan Murray | Out | Ankle sprain |
| Domantas Sabonis | Out | Season-ending absence |
| Zach LaVine | Out | Season-ending absence |
| De’Andre Hunter | Out | Season-ending absence |
| Drew Eubanks | Out | Season-ending absence |
Because of these absences, Sacramento will rely on younger players and depth options to handle major minutes against the Pelicans.
Recent Team Performances
New Orleans are coming off a loss to Portland where Trey Murphy III led the team with 19 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Jeremiah Fears also contributed strongly from the bench with 21 points.
Sacramento, on the other hand, recently defeated the Toronto Raptors behind strong performances from Precious Achiuwa and DeMar DeRozan. Achiuwa finished the game with 28 points and 19 rebounds, while DeRozan added 28 points and four assists.
| Team | Key Recent Performer | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Pelicans | Trey Murphy III | 19 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast |
| Pelicans | Jeremiah Fears | 21 pts off bench |
| Kings | Precious Achiuwa | 28 pts, 19 reb |
| Kings | DeMar DeRozan | 28 pts, 4 ast |
Pelicans Seek to End Losing Streak
The Pelicans have struggled recently, losing multiple games and falling further down the standings. With only a few games remaining in the season, the team hopes to finish on a positive note.
Facing a Kings roster missing several key players could give New Orleans a chance to break their losing run and gain some momentum before the season concludes.
For Sacramento, the focus remains on developing younger players and evaluating roster options while dealing with a long injury list.
Friday night’s game will show which team can overcome their injury challenges and finish stronger in the closing stages of the season.
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