In what has been a wild NBA season so far, the New Orleans Pelicans have been among the few teams to exceed expectations this season.
We already knew what kind of potential they had when healthy, but nobody bet on guys like Jose Alvarado and Dyson Daniels to have the kind of seasons they are.
The result has been a Pelicans team rich with depth on both ends of the floor, and it has allowed them to thrive in the absence of several key contributors.
But with Zion Williamson set to miss at least a month of action, the Pels are about to endure their toughest challenge yet:
“Three weeks until there is a re-evaluation,” reported ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “I think the expectation is that Zion Williamson (right hamstring strain) will be out at least a month plus. This is not a mild strain. This is a New Orleans team that is always going to err on the side of caution. You’ve seen this New Orleans team without its three best players on the court together very often this season still be at the top of the Western Conference and they’re hopeful they can get Brandon Ingram back sooner than later.”
"I think the expectation is Zion Williamson (right hamstring strain) will be out at least a month plus. This is not a mild strain."
Adrian Wojnarowski on Zion's MRI result that revealed he will be out for at least 3 weeks.
(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/dqiIoa6nlK
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 4, 2023
This stretch without Williamson will be a big test for the Pelicans. A slide down the standings seems inevitable with the guys they’re missing, but they are good enough to stay afloat and keep their playoff position until Zion returns.
Zion Williamson’s Rise To Stardom Makes Pelicans A Real Threat In The West
After last season’s no-show, there were a lot of questions about Zion, his health, and his commitment to the Pelicans organization. Zion answered all those questions this time and was playing at a truly unstoppable level.
“If it’s not unstoppable, I haven’t seen anyone that can stop it as of yet,” said Antonio Daniels. “It’s not just the unstoppable in the sense of stopping him from scoring. Because that’s only one aspect of it. Another aspect of it is his ability to see the floor and make his teammates better… He did a post game presser, where he talked about guys he grew up watching… They were all point guards. Everybody. It’s one thing to be able to see the floor… It’s another thing to have the skill set to see the floor and deliver the pass… That’s what makes great players great players.”
It remains to be seen how far New Orleans can go this go-round, but they are going to have more than their fair share of opportunities going forward.
If the Pelicans can keep this core intact, and Williamson continues to improve his game, it’s only a matter of time before New Orleans makes the kind of run they’ve been wanting for so long.
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