What Happened to Zion Williamson? Pelicans Star Heads to Locker Room After Scary Injury

Tonight’s New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings game is a crucial matchup for both teams. The Pelicans are desperately holding on to the 6th seed and trying to avoid the play-in tournament. Meanwhile, the Kings are fighting to stay ahead of the Lakers and the Warriors to finish as the 8th seed. Amid tonight’s heated clash, the Pelicans suffered a devastating blow as their superstar Zion Williamson headed to the locker mid-game after a horrific injury scare.

During a play in the first half, Zion tried to score over three Kings defenders inside the paint. He could not get the shot off and fell awkwardly on the floor. Zion tried to soften the fall with his hands and injured his left wrist in the process. He immediately grabbed his wrist in pain and headed to the locker room moments later to assess the injury. As the Pelicans lead the Kings 64-58 at halftime, Zion’s injury raises major concerns. He played 15 minutes and scored 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists before leaving the game due to injury.

Fortunately, Zion’s first-half injury scare was not enough to keep him out of the game for long. The 2-time All-Star returned to the floor in the second half and looked in great shape. His wrist did not seem to bother him at all as he went ballistic in the third quarter. He scored 17 points in the third quarter and helped the Pelicans extend their lead to 9 points. Zion headed into the 4th quarter with 25 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds. He eventually ended the game with 31 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds.

Zion Williamson’s health is crucial for the Pelicans’ success

Tonight is not the first time Zion’s health has raised concerns for the Pelicans this season. A similar incident occurred last week after Zion sat out the final 7:24 minutes of the game against the Orlando Magic because of a finger injury. He suffered the injury on a block attempt and later aggravated it during a dunk in the 4th quarter. Zion was even spotted wearing a finger wrap after the game. The injury led Zion to miss the following game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Zion is in the healthiest season of his NBA career. He has already played 67 games this season and has been in elite form all year. He is averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Pelicans will need Zion’s firepower for the remainder of the season to help them avoid the play-in tournament and make a deep run in the playoffs. The Pelicans could be a major threat for any team in the playoffs now that Brandon Ingram is also expected to return from injury this Sunday against the Lakers. If the Pelicans head into the playoffs with a healthy roster, they have the talent to make some serious noise in the West.

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