Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday out for the season after surgery

March 26 (UPI) -- The New Orleans Pelicans are losing one of their key players, guard Jrue Holiday, for the rest of the season after having surgery.

Holiday will miss the final few games of the year after the team announced Tuesday that he had successful surgery in Philadelphia to repair an injury to his core muscle.

The Pelicans are already out of the playoff race in the Western Conference at 31-44, and Holiday will have to watch the final seven games of the season from the bench.

This season Holiday in 67 starts is averaging 21.2 points, five assists, 7.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

The former All-Star has missed the Pelicans' last eight games after suffering an abdominal strain following a game March 6 against the Utah Jazz.

New Orleans is limping to the finish line of the season, having lost eight of their last 10 games, and are in the midst of a six-game home losing streak.

Overall the team is set to finish the season with their worst record since the 2016-17 season.