Jrue Holiday out of protective boot but still experiencing pain in leg

It has to be frustrating to be Jrue Holiday right now.

The New Orleans Pelicans point guard has been sidelined since Jan. 12 due to a stress reaction in his lower right leg, an injury that keeps having its vague timeline pushed back. It's not Holiday's first dance with a stress reaction, either, as he missed the second half of last season due to a similar injury.

Even when Holiday appears to be progressing, he's not. Despite no longer being in a protective walking boot used to aid in the healing process, he continues to experience pain and swelling in the leg. He'll meet with team doctors sometime soon to figure out a next step, but it sounds more and more once again like his season could be lost.

"Right now, it's about decreasing pain and swelling," Holiday said. "Again, there is some pain in there. I love not wearing that boot. I have more freedom to try and go out there to shoot, although I shouldn't. Obviously I want to."

The injury isn't caused by any one incident but rather the repeated wear-and-tear of being a basketball player. That has to be not only frustrating but concerning for his long-term health.

The Pelicans have hung tough without him, going 14-9 despite the fact that they're 4.2 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor. Should they sneak into a playoff spot, they'll be hard-pressed to defend against the Western Conference's elite guards without Holiday, who's a solid perimeter defender.

In 37 games before the injury, Holiday was averaging 15.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.6 steals. He has two years and $21.9 million remaining on his contract beyond this season.