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Zion Williamson’s Final Status Revealed for Sixers-Pelicans

Will Zion Williamson face the Sixers on Monday?
Nov 29, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots a technical free throw against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Nov 29, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots a technical free throw against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

As the New Orleans Pelicans prepare to host the Sixers on the second night of their back-to-back set, they plan to be without the star forward, Zion Williamson.

According to the official NBA injury report, Williamson is still dealing with a lower back contusion. Therefore, the Pelicans are playing it safe and giving the star forward more rest as the season winds down.

For Williamson, he now misses both matchups of the regular-season series between the Sixers and the Pelicans this year.

Just as Williamson was healing up from a long absence, he was slated to face the Sixers for his eighth ga,e of the year back in early January. In the hours leading up to the game, Williamson was ruled out due to a suspension. He didn’t take the court until the following outing against the Boston Celtics.

Since then, Williamson has been thriving on a solo note. In 23 games, he posted averages of 25 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. He shot 60 percent from the field and knocked down 20 percent of his threes on five attempts per game.

Williamson also totaled 30 steals and 19 blocks over that stretch. Unfortunately, the Pelicans still only went 8-15 during that time.

At this stage in the season, the Pelicans are in a similar boat as the Sixers. Playoffs are getting out of their reach, leading medical staff to be more cautious about allowing players to battle through setbacks. Williamson could be back on the court soon, but on Monday, he’ll miss his third game in a row.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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