During a pivotal moment in Tuesday’s play-in tournament game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Zion Williamson‘s outstanding effort was abruptly halted due to an injury, leaving the New Orleans Pelicans in a tough spot as they faced a narrow 110-106 defeat.
Pelicans coach Willie Green, disclosed post-game that the initial assessment was “left leg soreness,” with further imaging scheduled for Wednesday to ascertain Williamson’s condition ahead of the crucial elimination game against either Sacramento or Golden State.
Williamson had already tallied an impressive 40 points, along with 11 rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block in just over 36 minutes when he was forced to exit.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, as his departure came just as the game’s outcome hung in the balance, with a mere three minutes left on the clock.
“It’s tough,” expressed Pelicans forward Trey Murphy, reflecting on Williamson’s early exit from the game. “Especially considering the effort he’s invested, appearing in a career-high 70 games this season. You can only wish the best for him. It definitely sucks.”
Larry Nance Jr., another teammate, praised Williamson’s performance, noting, “That dude is incredible. I’m at a loss for words to describe his performance tonight and his impact throughout the season. We’re all hoping he’s in good shape and can deliver a similar performance on Friday.”
When queried about how the team would cope if Williamson couldn’t participate in Friday’s game, Nance responded with resolve.
“It’s next man up. That’s been our approach all year. Various players have missed games for different reasons—it’s just the nature of the NBA. No one’s going to pity us. But we’re keeping our fingers crossed and hoping he’s doing alright.”
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