Lakers Injury Report: Zion Williamson Exits Play-In Game Vs LA During Big Night

Alex Kirschenbaum | Apr 17, 2024

Apr 16, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura. / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Pelicans star power forward Zion Williamson headed to the locker room during the Los Angeles Lakers' ongoing 7-8 Western Conference play-in tournament matchup with an injury, with 3:13 remaining in regulation.

BREAKING: Zion Williamson heads to the locker room pic.twitter.com/YGipKDsc74

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 17, 2024

Williamson had been on an absolute tear in helping New Orleans roar back into the bout during its second half, which opened with New Orleans trailing by double digits (10 points).

The close game has had six ties and 11 lead changes.

LA currently leads by just two points following a CJ McCollum jumper to get the game within a possession, 104-102, with 38 seconds left in the fourth frame.

Williamson has yet to check back into the game. He has 40 points on 17-of-27 shooting (no one else on the Pelicans has more than 12), plus 11 rebounds, five assists, one steal and a block.

UPDATE:

Williamson is thought to have incurred a left hamstring injury, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. He will undergo imaging tomorrow. The Lakers went on to eke out a 110-106 win (their 12th victory in its last 15 games) to move on to a date with the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. New Orleans, meanwhile, will play the winner of tonight's 9-10 matchup, the Sacramento Kings, on Friday for the right to be the Western Conference's No. 8 seed and to play against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.