Zion Williamson Reportedly Asked for Kawhi Leonard Matchup

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson went off vs. the LA Clippers on Friday night, finishing with 34 points in the big win. Also taking on the Kawhi Leonard matchup defensively down the stretch, Williamson reportedly asked for that matchup after his teammate Trey Murphy initially volunteered for it.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Murphy said, "At the end of the game I was like, 'I got Kawhi.' And [Williamson] was like, 'Nah, I got him.' I was like 'Hey man, you got it then. I'm not gonna fight you on that one.' That's what you want out of your stars. You want them to take on the challenge. He understands what time it is."

"At the end of the game I was like 'I got Kawhi' and he said 'nah I got him.' I was like 'hey man I'm not gonna fight you on that one'... He understands what time it is"

-- Trey Murphy on Zion's competitive fire pic.twitter.com/0EXoyn0Ctl
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) March 16, 2024

Murphy added that if a player wants to be a star in the playoffs, they have to play both sides of the ball, which is a challenge Williamson is embracing at this point in the season. It was a very impressive showing for the Pelicans star on Friday night, as he was able to take over the game in the second half.

This win brought the Pelicans to within two games of the Clippers in the Western Conference standings, and also clinched the tiebreaker. This will likely be a first round matchup between LA and New Orleans in the 4th vs. 5th seed battle.

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