New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said that former Duke basketball star Zion Williamson will be a ‘game-time decision’ for Thursday’s opener.
Yes, the New Orleans Pelicans are a young, up-and-coming team in the National Basketball Association, but there is one key player to attribute that to, and that is Zion Williamson.
There is also only one reason why the Pelicans were placed in the first game back in the NBA’s restarted season, and it’s because of Williamson.
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However, New Orleans might not have its No. 1 overall pick when the season tips off once again on Thursday evening as head coach Alvin Gentry said Zion Williamson will be a “game-time decision.”
The former star of the Duke Blue Devils left the NBA bubble to tend to a family emergency but has since returned and completed his quarantine.
Williamson has practiced with the team over the last two days, but after being away from the bubble for eight days and self quarantining for four days in the bubble, the team is worried about the conditioning of its young superstar and looking at the best long term plan.
Perhaps it’s a bit of gamesmanship from the Pelicans head coach as Williamson recently said that he thinks he is able to play a full 48 minutes when asked about his conditioning, and he would really like to play on Thursday.
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Zion Williamson was limited to just 19 games prior to the stoppage of the season as the rookie had been dealing with his recovery from knee surgery prior to the regular season.
The South Carolina native is averaging 23.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.
Not having Williamson on the floor would be a major blow to the Pelicans playoff chances as the team is three and a half games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed with only eight games to play.
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The Pelicans and Utah Jazz are slated to tipoff at 6:30pm EST on TNT with the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers to follow at 9:00pm EST.