Pelicans host Clippers tonight as injuries cloud March 18 back-to-back opener
pelicans host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, with the matchup opening a back-to-back set between the teams. The game comes with major availability questions, with both Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland listed as questionable for Los Angeles and Dejounte Murray listed as questionable for New Orleans. The urgency is rising as the pelicans try to extend a home surge while the Clippers look for a road bounce-back.
What we know right now: injuries and records at the center of the night
The Clippers enter Wednesday with a 30-32 record after a Monday road loss to the San Antonio Spurs. In that game, Darius Garland led Los Angeles with 25 points and 10 assists, while Jordan Miller added 22 points, nine rebounds, and three assists off the bench.
On the other side, New Orleans comes in at 23-46 after beating the Dallas Mavericks at home on Monday night. Zion Williamson paced New Orleans with 27 points and four rebounds, and Saddiq Bey finished with 23 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Separately, New Orleans is also carrying a five-game home winning streak into March 18.
But the headline tension is health. The Clippers list five players on their injury report: Kawhi Leonard (questionable, left ankle sprain), Darius Garland (questionable, left toe injury management), Bradley Beal (out, left hip fracture), Bennedict Mathurin (out, right toe injury recovery), and Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (out, right Lisfranc ligament tear). Leonard is in danger of missing his second straight game. With a back-to-back underway, Los Angeles may elect to sit Garland on the first night.
New Orleans lists Dejounte Murray as questionable with an illness and in danger of missing a second straight game, and Bryce McGowens is out with a toe fracture. Zion Williamson is expected to play after missing March 1 at Los Angeles.
Pelicans vs. Clippers: form, recent results, and the betting angle
This is the first game of a back-to-back set on Wednesday night, and the recent trends are pulling in opposite directions. The pelicans are 23-46 overall, but they have won three of their last four and are 8-4 in their last 12 games. Los Angeles, meanwhile, is coming off two straight losses after previously putting together a four-game winning streak.
There is also a recent head-to-head marker: Los Angeles beat New Orleans 137-117 at home to open the month.
One performance thread to watch is Garland’s scoring—if he plays. Garland has gone over 20. 5 points in five straight games, including 25-point outings in each of his last two contests. The same preview notes Garland’s early production with the Clippers at 19. 9 points per game through his first seven games (five starts) after averaging 18. 0 points in 26 games with the Cavaliers.
From a spread perspective, New Orleans has been effective in a specific role: the pelicans are 11-3 against the spread as favorites, including 7-2 as home favorites. The matchup also lands on a key pressure point for the Clippers: they have struggled on the road at 15-19 straight up.
Immediate reactions from the injury report and what changes if players sit
Justin Russo, who posted the Clippers injury report on March 17, 2026, listed Leonard as questionable with a left ankle sprain and Garland as questionable with left toe injury management, along with multiple players ruled out. Russo’s posted report also notes Bradley Beal and Yanic Konan Niederhäuser are set to miss the remainder of the season.
If Leonard is sidelined again, Derrick Jones Jr. and John Collin could continue to have increased roles, as outlined in the injury report coverage. For New Orleans, Law Murray posted on March 17, 2026 that Dejounte Murray is questionable with an illness, Bryce McGowens is out with a toe fracture, and Zion Williamson will play.
Quick context
Wednesday’s meeting is the first half of a back-to-back set between Los Angeles and New Orleans. The pelicans have been “playing spoiler” late in the season, while the Clippers are trying to stabilize after a pair of losses.
What’s next as March 18 tips off
All eyes now turn to final availability decisions before the opening tip Wednesday night, with Leonard, Garland, and Murray all carrying the questionable tag. If the injury designations hold into game time, rotations and scoring responsibility could shift dramatically on both sides. Either way, the pelicans will take the floor with a chance to press their home momentum in the first game of this back-to-back, while Los Angeles searches for answers on the road.
