Jrue Holiday is expected to start at shooting guard in Monday's tilt with the Kings, John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Holiday is expected to start at shooting guard in Monday's tilt with the Kings, John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Analysis:

Holiday has been deployed exclusively off the bench since the beginning of December, but long-term injuries to Eric Gordon (finger), Tyreke Evans (knee), and Bryce Dejean-Jones (wrist) have created an opening in the starting lineup that needs to be filled. While Holiday is a natural point guard, the Pelicans don't have many other alternatives to turn to in the starting five, so Holiday could be forced to play off the ball a little more in order to give the backcourt a scoring jolt. If Holiday does indeed start, he still figures to man the point when starter Norris Cole is resting, so the 25-year-old should remain an ample source of both scoring and assists while his minutes tick upward.