NEW ORLEANS (AP) — It’s been nearly five years since Pelicans fans erupted at a party when New Orleans selected Zion Williamson first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.
On Tuesday night, Williamson will play in his first postseason game since playing for Duke in college in the NCAA Tournament.
It will be in the Western Conference play-in, when New Orleans, the No. 7 seed, hosts the Los Angeles Lakers, No. 8, with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, LeBron James, and the Pelicans first overall pick in the 2012 draft, Anthony Davis.
“We are all very proud of Z and our team to have this opportunity,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said after practice Monday. “He has worked a lot. The first time he will experience that, it is a big step.”
In Williamson’s first four years, a series of knee, hand, foot and hamstring injuries limited him to playing in 114 games.
Before this season, Williamson had played in more than 29 games only once on a schedule.
This season, Williamson has appeared in a career-high 70 games, averaging a team-high 22.9 points. Pelicans coaches and teammates say his performance has improved since the start of the season.
He has ball-handling skills similar to a point guard, a position he played in his youth, and often brings the ball up the court and initiates the offense.
His teammates are pleased to finally have him for the postseason, but they are also cautious not to put too much responsibility on him.
The Pelicans’ final regular season game, a 124-108 loss to the Lakers, was not one of Williamson’s best games, in which he was limited to 12 points.
2024-04-16 00:31:11
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