Zion Williamson will try to ride the momentum of a season-high scoring performance into the New Orleans Pelicans' opener of a three-game road trip against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
Williamson answered a lackluster 13-point performance in the semifinal of the NBA in-season tournament with a dominant one in New Orleans' 121-107 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. He made 13 of 17 shots from the floor and 10 of 12 from the foul line versus the Timberwolves.
His most recent performance came on the heels of being scrutinized for his perceived poor conditioning in the 133-89 setback to the Los Angeles Lakers.
"That was a bad performance," Williamson said about Thursday's lopsided loss. "It don't take rocket science to see that. That was not a good performance. From start to finish, they played better than us. We have a lot of potential. But we also have a lot of room for growth. I think how we responded was well, but I think we have to be more consistent."
Williamson's 36 points were his most since recording 43 against Minnesota on Dec. 28, 2022.
"I can't just take a back seat or kind of be too laid-back," Williamson said. "So, my thought process was to be aggressive. My teammates trust me."
Williamson's teammates also contributed on the offensive end Monday. CJ McCollum drained four 3-pointers to highlight his 23-point performance. Brandon Ingram had 20 points and Jonas Valanciunas collected 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Pelicans, who shot a robust 48.8 percent from the floor.
"We all look in the mirror and try to figure out what we can do better," New Orleans coach Willie Green said. "We want to come out on our home floor with a sense of urgency. Playing our style. Get back to playing our basketball."
The Pelicans have struggled on the road by losing four of their last five away from the Crescent City.
The Wizards, in turn, have struggled regardless of venue. They have lost five in a row overall and 19 of 22 on the season.
Washington followed up a 27-point setback against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday with a 45-point loss versus the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
"I mean, when you get your face beat in by 50 it's never fun," Kyle Kuzma said after Washington's 146-101 shellacking at the hands of Philadelphia. "It's been a recurring theme for us all year. Something has to change."
Kuzma, who recorded 21 points and nine rebounds on Monday, tried to keep it all in perspective.
"Storms always come and go," he said. "This storm has just been lasting a little bit too long, and it's just a real tough situation."
The Pelicans and Wizards won on each other's home court to split last season's series. McCollum scored 34 points and Valanciunas added 27 points and 12 rebounds in New Orleans' 132-112 win on Jan. 9. Daniel Gafford recorded 21 points and 12 boards in Washington's 113-103 victory on Jan. 28.
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