Report: Zion Williamson "Not Even Close"
NEW ORLEANS- The New Orleans Pelicans fell apart in a crushing road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Instead of two shots to win an NBA Play-In Tournament game, head coach Willie Green's squad will have to win two elimination battles before even getting a shot at the top-seeded Denver Nuggets.
Keeping the focus on the Oklahoma City Thunder will be a challenge in the days before that 83rd win-or-go-home game. The updates and sourced leaks concerning Zion Williamson's rehab from a hamstring injury have gotten more attention than the team's record over the last dozen games (9-3).
In just the last week, the Pelicans have released an update, Vice President David Griffin has addressed the media, and Pelicans Scoop has talked to a specialist to get a better grasp on things.
The latest comes from The Athletic's Shams Charania, who says Williamson's "hamstring might be close to healed or feeling good, but from a conditioning perspective he has not been able to bridge that gap between his conditioning, his basketball shape, you know, just everything that goes into being Zion Williamson...Conditioning is something he's always had to watch. His conditioning is just not there, and from what I am told the Pelicans believe he is not even close.”
Charania continued, "The initial timetable he was supposed to miss was six weeks with the hamstring strain. I assume that is a Grade 2, maybe in the middle of a one or two. I looked like he was coming back after six, seven weeks. He suffered a reaggravation of the injury. He's not able to do anything. And I think that whenever Zion Williamson has lower body injuries you can tell from a conditioning perspective, a basketball-shape perspective, it sets him back."
Lastly, Shams ended with, "From what I'm told there is no expectation from the Pelicans that he will be on the floor at any point in the first round of the playoffs. He is not going to play in the Play-In Tournament. The hope is maybe he gets to practice at some point in the first round or do a bit more but...the most he has done so far is three-on-three, low-intensity scripted walk-throughs with coaches on the court. It is a step forward but also he has not responded to that "
Jan 7, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; (from left) New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson and forward Brandon Ingram watch the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
It's not the kind of Easter egg fans wanted the morning after but the Pelicans have two days to get ready for a Wednesday night winner-take-all war with the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Thunder. However, for those holding out hope of two play-in wins, the team has not officially ruled out Williamson for the season.
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