The New Orlando Pelicans have played marvelous this season, with twenty-three victories to their name, and the team is now in the third position amongst the West Conference teams. Some incredible gameplay, backed by their players’ success, especially Zion Williamson, ensured they remained in the top three.
Williamson has played his skin out; in the twenty-nine games he has appeared in, the power forward has scored an average of twenty-six points per game with seven rebounds per game and 4.6 assists per game. However, things are about to change after his last game against the 76ers.
Williamson was hurt on Monday night in the game against the Philadelphia 76ers. After dribbling up the court, he stopped, grabbed his right leg, and dragged himself to a stop. The game was over, and he never came back. The MRI report on Tuesday verified the seriousness of the injuries.
Zion Williamson sentiu algo na coxa e não volta mais pro jogo de hoje.pic.twitter.com/LF9nVrqZ4Y
— Matchup Brasil 🇧🇷🏀 (@MatchupBR) January 3, 2023
After the team officially announced the player’s injury, the Pelicans said he would be re-examined after three weeks. This is very concerning for the team as the player will miss at least three weeks of action.
Moreover, even though there are replacements, everyone is aware that those players have not played many games, and the fans will be doubtful- whether they can produce the “goods” like Zion.
Along with Zion, Brandon Ingram is also injured. Ingram has been off the field for quite a while now. However, the team has not missed him, as they managed to win most games without him. The Pelicans will be hoping to pull off something similar in the absence of Williamson.
Which players are likely to lead the offense?
CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas will likely lead the offensive lineup of the Pelicans. This season, CJ has played a total of thirty-three games where he has played his natural game and scored an average of twenty points per game, along with 4.8 rebounds and six assists per game. Furthermore, Jonas Valanciunas has played all thirty-seven games, where he scored an average of 13.5 points per game with 9.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
With these all-star players stuck on the bench, the Pelicans will be hoping they carry the phenomenal form they have displayed this season- despite the last two defeats.
