Zion Williamson played in six of New Orleans Pelicans’ first nine games and averaged 22.7 points, eight rebounds and 5.3 assists before getting injured
The Western Conference-worst New Orleans Pelicans will get Zion Williamson back in the lineup Tuesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves for the first time since the oft-injured forward sustained a left hamstring strain in early November. (More NBA News)
Williamson played in six of New Orleans’ first nine games and averaged 22.7 points, eight rebounds and 5.3 assists before getting injured.
The two-time All-Star has missed the last 27 games, with the banged-up Pelicans going 4-23 during that stretch as they’ve also been without fellow starters Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum and Herbert Jones for long stretches this season.
New Orleans is 7-29 overall after going 49-33 and reaching the play-offs last season.
Williamson missed most of his first four campaigns because of injuries after the Pelicans selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but he finally got through a regular season in good health in 2023-24.
Williamson played in a career-high 70 games and led the Pelicans with 22.9 points per game while averaging 5.8 rebounds, five assists and 1.10 steals.
However, he strained his left hamstring late in New Orleans’ first play-in game and wound up sitting out the remainder of the post-season.