Pelicans’ Holiday out vs. Jazz, Hart gets start

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry says Jrue Holiday has been scratched from the lineup for Monday night’s game against Utah because of an elbow bruise.

The team said Josh Hart is starting in Holiday’s place at shooting guard.

Holiday is New Orleans’ second-leading scorer, averaging 19.6 points. He scored 19 points in 34 minutes in New Orleans’ previous game, a victory at Sacramento on Saturday night.

Hart, who’s making his fifth start this season, has averaged 10.9 points.

Holiday’s absence comes as the Pelicans host a Jazz squad that rode a five-game winning streak into New Orleans. The Pelicans have won six of eight as they try to climb back within realistic striking distance of one of the Western Conference’s final playoff spots.

New Orleans also continues to await the regular-season debut of top overall draft choice Zion Williamson, who remained inactive Monday but participated in a shoot-around that morning and also dunked several times during pregame warm-ups.