Hello Houston New Orleans, we have a problem. The Pelicans were magnificently launched just over a week ago, now they are facing a series of defeats, to which we will have to add a little COVID protocol for Zion Williamson to the list…
Zion Williamson was fantastic and New Orleans had just reached No. 1 in the West…when the shit started happening. First, two defeats in Salt Lake City once morest the Jazz, quickly transformed into four. But a misfortune never comes alone, here is another bad news falling on the Pelicans: Zion Williamson will have to leave the courts for at least a week, a sentence following his placement in the now famous Health and Safety Protocol.
The Pelicans say Zion Williamson has been placed in health and safety protocols and will not play Thursday once morest San Antonio.
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— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 21, 2022
Ah, the famous COVID protocol, it had been so long that we were almost nostalgic for it (no). The latest? The Joker himself, Nikola Jokic, who probably didn’t get the card out in time. But you had to go back a month to find this latest occurrence, following that of (who else?) Bradley Beal in October. On the program for the Pels in the coming week? Spurs, Thunder, Pacers, et Timberwolves Finally, nothing to panic normally, the Louisianans should be able to get by and snatch at least a few games before recovering their nag in chief. In any case, we will have to because we have said Willie Green’s men have just chained four consecutive defeats and are now almost tied for third with the Suns in the West, by their record of 18 wins for 12 defeats.
Zion was also beginning to enter more and more seriously into the MVP racewith averages of 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per match, all while shooting over 60%, with highlights in all directions and more than satisfactory results for his franchise. He is therefore absent following a fantastic month in 29/8/6, all at 62% shooting.
If the Pels were to lose their four scheduled games without Zion, NOLA might even slip out of the top 6 in a doomsday scenario. But these Pelicans have resources, and should find a way out of this bad patch. For that, it will not be necessary either to count on Brandon Ingram, who will miss at least the next two games if we are to believe the words of his coach, because of a toe problem.