After almost five years of waiting, New Orleans Pelicans fans are about to see Zion Williamson on the court in the Playoffs for the first time. In his fifth season as a professional, the power forward appears to have finally shaken off the injuries that have dogged him since his Duke days. If he participates in at least three of the team’s four games this week, he will break his personal best, from 2021-22, when he was present in 59 rounds.
With just 12 games left on the calendar, the Pelicans currently occupy fifth place in the Western Conference, one and a half wins behind the fourth-placed Los Angeles Clippers, and two ahead of the Phoenix Suns, who are in seventh. The last time the franchise managed to qualify directly, without depending on the Play-in, was in 2018, with a squad that still included names like Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins, who ruptured his Achilles tendon. that same year.
Why Zion should be in the Playoffs
If there is no magic formula to guarantee that Zion Williamson’s body will continue to withstand the high demands, at least the New Orleans team can rest assured that it has done everything possible. And this goes beyond day-to-day care in training and also extends to the way coach Willie Green has been using the young 23-year-old athlete.
To have Zion all year, the Pelicans understood that it was necessary to reduce his importance. That’s why some of his numbers are the most discreet since he arrived in the NBA, even with good individual and team form. In the 59 games he has played so far, he averaged 22.3 points and 5.8 rebounds – in his rookie season, for example, he ended up with 22.5 and 6.3 in these same categories.
A more complex statistic that helps to understand a little of the situation is Usage Rate, which indicates what percentage of the team’s possessions end with the player while he is on the court. For this, moves are considered in which an athlete shoots, loses the ball or suffers a foul to get to the free-throw line. In 2024, Zion Williamson records its lowest Usage Rate, at 29%. Interestingly, the second lowest, 29.6%, was in 2020-21, when he achieved his record in both games played (62) and points and rebounds averages (27.0 and 7.2).
Part of this was built on the absence of Zion, who after missing the entire 2021-22 season only played in 29 games last year. In addition to Brandon Ingram (20.9), already established in the squad, names like CJ McCollum (18.5) and Trey Murphy (14.1) help ease the burden on the star.
Zion will need to shine in the final stretch
If the squad has managed so far, perhaps the final stretch needs to be dominated by Zion. That’s because Brandon Ingram had an injury to his left knee and is expected to be out for at least two weeks, according to the franchise. There have already been two games without the 2020 All-Star, a loss to the Orlando Magic and a victory over the Miami Heat, both away from home. Against the Heat, despite the result, Zion only had four points scored and saw CJ McCollum run the show with 30 points.
Tonight the Pelicans return to the court to face the Detroit Pistons, owners of the worst record in the NBA. Then, they begin a sequence where they will face three opponents who are at the top: Oklahoma City Thunder, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. Without Ingram, it will be up to the former Duke to take the lead in the coming days to guarantee direct qualification to the Playoffs.
New Orleans Pelicans upcoming games
3/24: Detroit Pistons (away)
3/26: OKC Thunder (home)
3/28: Milwaukee Bucks (away)
3/30: Boston Celtics (home)
01/4: Phoenix Suns (home)
03/4: Orlando Magic (home)
