Hopes were so high for the New Orleans Pelicans this year.
With the return of Zion Williamson and the incredibly strong core of young players who had been building something special over the last few years, the Pelicans were looking like true contenders in the West.
Sure enough, they had some great success for the first part of the season and actually rose to the top of their conference standings.
But then the black cloud of injuries began to rain down upon New Orleans, robbing them of Williamson.
Things just haven’t been the same since.
The roller coaster of a 82 game season
Back in early December New Orleans was a confident group after beating Phoenix twice.
Now it feels the weight of the world is on their shoulders.
12-24 in the last 36 games
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 28, 2023
As noted by NBA expert Bobby Marks, the Pelicans were a “confident group after beating Phoenix twice” toward the start of 2022-23.
But they have now gone 12-24 in their last 36 games.
Once the top team in the West, the Pelicans are now in tenth place with a 30-32 record.
Their latest stinging defeat came on Monday night, as the Orlando Magic took them down, 101-93.
Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum tried their hardest but it wasn’t enough and the Pelicans faced yet another painful loss.
Williamson has only played one game in 2023 and hasn’t taken to the court since January 4.
During that time, the Pelicans have plunged further and further from the top spot in the West.
They are now fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament, just as they were last season.
The latest update regarding Williamson said that he’d be out for several more weeks as he recovers from his hamstring injury and the setbacks that have come with it.
How much further will his team plummet as he remains out?
NEXT: Shannon Sharpe Makes His Thoughts On Zion Williamson's Health Clear
