Pelicans Injury Update: Will Zion Williamson Play Back to Back Games Tonight vs the Jazz?

The New Orleans Pelicans showed great promise to begin the season. Zion Williamson has been a big part of New Orleans’ promising start. After years of high expectations from Zion, it looked like patience was wearing thin due to his poor injury record. However, it looks like he has turned a corner, as he has played 13 games out of 16 this season.

The Pelicans face the Utah Jazz in their next game later tonight. But the availability of Zion Williamson is a source of intrigue for the Pelicans fanbase, as their success in the league is closely linked to Zion’s fitness.

Zion Williamson fit to play against the Jazz

This season, Zion has remained consistent and delivered several match-winning performances. Zion has averaged 23.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 13 games this season. Due to Zion’s stellar performances, the Pelicans occupy the 9th spot in the Western Conference standings. In fact, the Pelicans are on a three-game winning streak. New Orleans face the Jazz in their next game, after defeating the Clippers 116-106. However, for the game against Utah, the Pelicans would miss several key players due to injury. CJ McCollum (chest), Trey Murphy (knee), and Matt Ryan (calf) have all been ruled out for the game. Fortunately, though, Zion is fit to play.

The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Zion Williamson as the No.1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He came into the league with hype and fanfare. The Pelicans fanbase thought that Zion would lead their franchise into a new era of success. However, poor off-court decisions coupled with constant injuries have hampered Zion’s as well as the Pelicans’ progress. While Zion’s world-class talent is undeniable, he rarely remains fit for the entire duration of the season.

Predicted lineups: Jazz vs Pelicans

The Pelicans aim to extend their three-game winning streak as they face the Jazz. While Utah poses a formidable challenge, the Jazz are currently in a downturn, having suffered defeats in their last four games. The Pelicans will field a strong lineup to maintain their momentum. They would start the game with Dyson Daniels, Jordan Hawkins, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and Jonas Valanciunas.

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While the Pelicans are on an upward trajectory, the same can’t be said about the Jazz. Despite having All-Star Lauri Markannen, the Jazz are currently rooted to the foot of the table. To add insult to injury, they have also endured a four-game losing streak. They would aim to arrest this horrid slump against the Pelicans. The Jazz would start the game with Keyonte George, Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markannen, John Collins, and Kelly Olynyk.

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