If the New Orleans Pelicans have Zion Williamson available –in mind, body, and spirit –for the rest of the season, they might just be able to turn their fortunes around.
On Tuesday, the 2019 No. 1 pick suited up for the first time in two months, missing 27 games with a left hamstring strain. Though his return to the court was spoiled by Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, he didn’t disappoint. In just under 28 minutes, a rejuvenated Williamson tallied 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block. He was imperfect, going 0-2 from the three-point range and 4-9 from the free-throw line. Nonetheless, he was 9-15 from the field.
Pelicans Star Zion Williamson Returns With A Much Needed Bang
On the surface, Williamson’s efficiency may have been the biggest boon for the Pelicans, as they rank just 29th in field goal percentage (.440). Capable of creating for himself or playing off of others, Williamson is simply dominant in the paint, inspiring images of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
Brandon Ingram certainly has his go-to spots in the midrange. Meanwhile, CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy III love to dial it up from downtown. However, none of them are as hot in their zones as Williamson is in his.
It was Williamson’s playmaking that really colored the canvas though. Due to New Orleans’ need to find a natural facilitator (which led to the trade for Dejounte Murray), his impact as a facilitator has kind of been brushed over. Nonetheless, his comparisons to James also find life in his drive and kick ability, especially in transition. The problem for the Pelicans is that due to his rather rare combination of skills and physical tools, they didn’t necessarily have another player who could mimic that in his absence.
Ingram and Brandon Boston Jr. certainly displayed their potential as secondary facilitators. Yet, defenses don’t have to make the same decisions when they’re coming down the court. With Williamson, there’s a need to prevent him from getting two feet in the paint. If they don’t, there’s a good chance it could be two points for New Orleans. However, by stepping up to stop him, they may leave one of his teammates wide open. This only serves to make the offense more dynamic.
ZION 360 WINDMILL COME ON NOW 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/hGuQ1R7FjW
— NBA (@NBA) January 8, 2025
Considering the fact that the Pelicans are a bottom-five team in scoring average (107.2) and offensive rating (107.6), that doesn’t hurt.
Not Just Offense
Defensively, Williamson has been a mixed bag throughout his career, but against the Timberwolves he flashed his potential. At his best, he’s a physical and tenacious force who can be a game-changer. That too, is needed by the Pelicans. Ranking 28th in defensive rating (117.4), they don’t make their opponents feel them enough at that end. Murray has racked up plenty of steals but outside of that, they’ve wilted.
Williamson’s intent isn’t really to gamble but to wall his defensive assignments off.
Zion with one shoe defending Gobert who gets called for the 3 second violation pic.twitter.com/SrZU8vAUAv
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) January 8, 2025
If he can get a hand in on the ball, all the better. In fact, with Murray’s influence, he may actually take a liking to wreaking havoc as an event-creator.
“I’ve proved that’s what I do so I think it’s rubbing off on him”
— Dejounte Murray on he and Zion Williamson wreaking havoc on defense together pic.twitter.com/3gQRuqgoJ2
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) January 8, 2025
As he can guard multiple positions, he might still get caught watching the action to determine where to switch. Regardless, he has enough anticipation and explosiveness to consistently make the right play.
Ultimately, he doesn’t have the reputation of a player like Herb Jones or Jose Alvarado at that end. Yet, he may have more upside than both. With that being said, though offense is more glamorous than defense, players and teams with serious hopes of winning a championship know that they need to be as good as possible at both.
