The New Orleans Pelicans have been one of the most surprising teams in the NBA this season.
And, as expected, plenty of that has had to do with Zion Williamson, who’s averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game this season on a whopping 60.8% from the floor.
That’s why it was such a bummer when Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that he’ll miss multiple weeks after suffering a hamstring injury vs. the Philadelphia 76ers.
New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is expected to miss multiple weeks with a hamstring strain, sources tell ESPN. Williamson underwent an MRI today.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 3, 2023
Zion — who’s been injury-prone for most of his young career — had been quite durable this season:
“Williamson has played in 29 of a possible 37 games this season for New Orleans,” reported ESPN’s Andrew Lopez. “He missed two games in late October with a lower back/right hip contusion after a hard fall against the Utah Jazz. In mid-November, he missed three games with a right foot contusion after he stepped on Rockets center Usman Garuba‘s foot on a drive to the basket. Around Christmas, Williamson missed three games because of health and safety protocols.”
The former first-overall pick is one of the most impactful players in the game when he’s at full strength, and he looked in the best shape of his career this season.
But given his history of injuries, it’s only normal to see that the Pelicans will be overly-cautious with him, especially considering this is a soft-tissue injury.
The Pelicans are currently sitting on a 23-14 record and the third spot in the Western Conference, but they cannot afford a big slide with the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Clippers all breathing on their necks.
NEXT: The Pelicans Are In Fear Of Losing Their Biggest Star Again