Report: Zion Williamson out vs. Kings for play-in game Friday
Apr 17, 2024, 11:05 AM | Updated: 1:44 pm
Zion Williamson will not be available Friday against the Sacramento Kings.
Reports surfaced Wednesday morning that the New Orleans Pelicans star will miss Friday’s Play-In Tournament elimination game against the Kings due to a left hamstring injury. Williamson will be reevaluated in a few weeks, but for now, he will not be featured for New Orleans moving forward.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was first with the news Wednesday. The team later confirmed the news.
The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that forward Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain. An MRI taken this morning confirmed the injury. Williamson will be re-examined in approximately two weeks. pic.twitter.com/efY3f2Kq0X
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 17, 2024
Zion Williamson, 23, suffered the injury with three minutes remaining in Tuesday’s play-in loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Duke product came down awkwardly on a play late, walking gingerly to the bench. He then moved towards the locker room with a noticeable limp, frustrated by the circumstances. After the game, coach Willie Green listed his player with “left leg soreness”, but clearly there was more to the story.
Williamson was in the midst of a career performance Tuesday, posting 40 points and 11 rebounds before he suffered the apparent injury. He also had five assists, one block and one steal in the game. The Pelicans were making a run late in the fourth quarter until Williamson got hurt.
The Pelicans’ loss to LA means they will host the Sacramento Kings in a winner-takes-all elimination game Friday. The winner of the contest will be the eighth seed in the Western Conference, facing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.
Upcoming Sacramento Kings Schedule
- Friday, April 19th – NBA Play-In – Sacramento Kings @ New Orleans Pelicans – 6:30 PM PST
NBA Postseason Schedule
- Tuesday, April 16th-Friday, April 19th – NBA Play-In Tournament
- Saturday, April 20th – NBA Playoffs (First Round) begin
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