Despite their very good current dynamic – 9 wins in 11 games – the Pelicans have a good chance of having to go through the “play-in” to reach the final stages. And like last year, they will have to fight without Zion Williamson. Franchise vice-president David Griffin announced that the interior will not train with the team this Saturday and will not be available for any possible meetings next week.
” I would say, considering our current situation, that it is not possible to do the work that would allow him to train in 5v5 in time for any play-in game. […] The best possible outcome would be that, if everything went perfectly, that he was able to practice before or during the first round “, fixes the leader, quoted by ESPNwithout giving much guarantee.
” And again, we may never get to that point. If all the conditions are not met for him to feel as he should feel, we will not let him go to the next phase. “, Continues the vice-president who does not seem to be bathed in optimism compared to his player, absent since January 2 due to a hamstring injury, then a relapse during his convalescence.
The Pelicans should finish in 8th place
As his team prepares to end its season on Sunday against Wolves, another team concerned by the play-in wagon, David Griffin assures ” that it is a question of having all the objective parameters (Editor’s note: its strength, its speed…) to find out where he is and how he feels, and so far he hasn’t. If that was the case, we would certainly have said: ‘OK, he’s ready for the 5v5’, but that’s not the case. »
Williamson has made good progress in 3v3, but he’s not in a position to take it to the next level. ” He didn’t hurt himself again, he never even reported any pain. It’s more like a hesitation that we can observe “, describes Griffin, recalling: “ We’ve been through that before with Brandon Ingram, saying he’d play when he felt like himself. This is seen when someone is confident and sure of themselves, and they are not in that situation right now. »
| Zion Williamson | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2019-20 | NOP | 24 | 28 | 58.3 | 42.9 | 64.0 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 6.3 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 22.5 |
| 2020-21 | NOP | 61 | 33 | 61.1 | 29.4 | 69.8 | 2.7 | 4.5 | 7.2 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 27.0 |
| 2022-23 | NOP | 29 | 33 | 60.8 | 36.8 | 71.4 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 4.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 26.0 |
| Total | 114 | 32 | 60.5 | 34.3 | 69.1 | 2.5 | 4.4 | 7.0 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 25.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
