Pelicans’ Zion Williamson is back after missing a whole season because of injury, but will he be available for opening night?
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The NBA is back! Last night, we saw the two 2022 NBA Finalists take on their respective opponents for the NBA Tip-Off. The Celtics beat the Sixers, and the Warriors took down the Lakers. Tonight we have a huge slate of games with 24 teams suiting up for 12 games.
Among the teams suiting tonight, we also have the New Orleans Pelicans in Brooklyn to take on Kevin Durant and the Nets. It’s a big game for both teams. Each team has a point to prove. The Nets want to prove that they can co-exist and find a way to win.
On the other hand, the Pelicans have Zion Williamson back after he missed the entire 2021-22 NBA season. They want to display their authority and show the world they’re also going to be a problem. The question that remains now is, will Zion play tonight though?
Is Zion Williamson suiting up tonight against the Nets?
After missing an entire season due to a foot injury, Williamson is back, and the Pelicans are being cautious about their All-Star. His minutes were limited during the preseason games, but from what we saw, he showed how brilliant he looks.
However, Zion rolled his ankle pretty badly in a preseason game against the Heat.
This led to a lot of people doubting how healthy he would be come opening night. Some talking heads even went as far to call Zion a bust over an ankle roll.
Thankfully, the Pelicans’ star is alright and will suit up for Opening Night.
No Zion Williamson on the Pelicans injury report for tomorrow’s home opener. He’s good to go.
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) October 18, 2022
This is great news for all Pelicans fans. As long as Zion is healthy, the team has a great shot at breaking barriers and getting further than expected this season.
What can we expect from Zion this season?
During the 2020-21 season, Zion played 61 out of the 72 games. After missing a big chunk of his rookie season, Zion showed up to the scene in his sophomore season. Zion was awarded with an All-Star selection as he averaged 27 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
From what we saw in the preseason, Zion’s bounce is still there, and he’s moving faster than before. If he stays healthy, we can expect yet another All-Star and All-NBA season from the 2019 #1 Pick.
A healthy Zion, CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Jonas Valančiūnas would mean that the Pelicans would look to move further than the Play-In berth they had last season.
