Go back to around November of last year and you’d see the New Orleans Pelicans as one of the worst teams in the NBA. They were languishing at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 1-12 record and it seemed like they were going absolutely nowhere.
To go with all the losing, there were rumors that Zion Williamson wanted out, but the Pelicans weathered the storm and they came out of it stronger than ever. They rebounded from that rough start, managed to trade for CJ McCollum, and also witnessed the emergence of rookies Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado. Zion Williamson also committed to the team by signing an extension and all of a sudden, the Pelicans were back in business.
Zion Williamson On The Pelicans Having A Big 4
They were suddenly now looked at as a team that would challenge for one of the top seeds in the Western Conference and they’re off to a good start in that quest, having won their opening 2 games. Brandon Ingram, Zion, and CJ all scored over 20 points in their win over the Nets in the opener but it was someone else who stole the show against the Hornets last time out. Jonas Valanciunas tallied game-high marks of 30 points and 17 rebounds to help them get over the line and after the game, Zion was asked about what it is like for the Pelicans to have a Big 4.
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“It’s great. I say it a lot, our team is deep, we have a lot of pieces. It’s different, I haven’t played with a team like this in my entire life, closest would be college but at the pro level, this is something different. This is a special team, I’m excited to see what we’re gonna do.”
He has every right to be extremely excited. The Pelicans have a lot of weapons and they look primed for a deep playoff run if he stays healthy. He was excellent against the Nets in the opener and once he gets more games under his belt; we expect him to dominate.
The Pelicans go up against the Jazz next and while on paper Utah shouldn’t pose much of a challenge; they have been exceeding expectations already this season. The Jazz were very much seen as one of the frontrunners in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, but instead, they have won their first two games against the Nuggets and the Timberwolves. The Pelicans will have to be on their toes or else they too might end up falling victim to these giant killers in Utah.
