On Saturday, Pelicans guard Eric Gordon left the game against the Utah Jazz with a separated shoulder in a collision with Trey Burke. 

Injuries are nothing new for Gordon. In three seasons with the Pelicans, he has had multiple injuries that has kept him out of action. His time with New Orleans has not been the greatest, as he has missed 115 total games due to injuries. He was healthy for the early part of the season, starting in all 12 games and averaging 9.5 points and 2.3 rebounds a game. 

Gordon addressed the injury, and it may be longer that what Pelican fans expect. 

"We'll see," Gordon recently told reporters. "It's a full tear. I still have a labrum. But it's tough for any athlete to deal with that.

"If I keep on playing, it's going to be a lingering issue. This thing doesn't heal all the way correctly, I've heard, unless surgery happens. I don't know, [the surgery option is] still hard to determine right now."

With Gordon going down, the shooting guard position is quite weak. Injuries are part of the game, and they lead to opportunities for players further back on the depth chart so in this case, expect to see some more of third-year player Austin Rivers. 

Gordon is a big loss, but the Pelicans can still make a legitimate run at the eighth seed and could sneak into the playoffs. Even though he is out, the Pelicans have depth and with strong play throughout the season, there is still hope they can remain in the conversation all the way until game 82. 

There are a lot of bright spots for this team going forward. Anthony Davis is having a superstar year, averaging 25.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks in 36.7 minutes. Looking at the rest of the roster, there is Ryan Anderson, who gives them a scoring punch off the bench, and Jrue Holiday, who is playing at a high level. 

These injuries that Gordon suffers are definitely not his fault. He just has bad luck. Gordon, in a way, is a lot like Grant Hill, a player whose development was slowed down due to injuries. The recovery process is something Gordon should be patient with and not rush into anything. When he returns, it will help the Pelicans become a better team and will give them a better chance at smelling the postseason.