Zion Williamson’s contribution to the New Orleans Pelicans has been crucial in their quest for a top-six spot in the Western Conference and avoiding the play-in tournament. Despite a wrist injury sustained during the game, Williamson was able to return to the court in the third quarter and make an impact with his skills.
Williamson has faced many challenges throughout his NBA career, including injuries that have limited his playing time. However, he has managed to remain relatively healthy this season, setting a new career-high of 68 games played with two more remaining in the regular season. In recent games, he has averaged 26.0 points on 57.8 percent shooting along with 6.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game in his last 15 starts since March 13.
Despite speculations about Williamson’s weight and conditioning at the start of this season, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported last month that Williamson has significantly improved his fitness throughout the season, shedding 25 pounds since the play-in tournament. This improvement in fitness has enabled him to perform exceptionally well on the court and contribute significantly to the team’s success.
The Pelicans have been on a three-game winning streak lately, securing crucial victories against the Kings and Phoenix Suns, maintaining their position as the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Should they win their remaining games, they will secure the final automatic playoff spot ahead of Phoenix. However, if both teams finish tied, Phoenix will hold an advantage based on their 2-1 win record in regular-season matchups.
In summary, Zion Williamson’s contributions to the New Orleans Pelicans have been critical in their quest for a top-six spot in the Western Conference and avoiding relegation to playoffs through play-in tournament. Despite facing numerous challenges throughout his career due to injuries limiting his playing time, Williamson is currently performing exceptionally well on the court and contributing significantly to his team’s success by averaging 26 points per game while maintaining a high field goal percentage of 57%.
