The Sacramento Kings have had quite the rollercoaster ride this season. Defeats, victories, drama—you name it, they’ve experienced it all. Yet, they’ve managed to cling to the middle of the Western Conference standings. With a 5-5 record in their last ten games, they come off a victory against the New Orleans Pelicans, only to face them again for the final time in the regular season. However, the battle may be a bit easier this time, as there’s concerning news about the Pelicans’ star player, Zion Williamson.

Zion just can’t seem to catch a break. Between injuries and reported indiscipline, he’s spent more time off the court than on it this season. As he’s watched from the sidelines, his team struggled, at the bottom of the West. And now, just as they’re trying to turn things around, Zion finds himself back on the injury list once again.

Zion Williamson’s status for Pelicans vs Kings match

Hours before the game, the latest update from the franchise revealed that Zion Williamson would not be suiting up against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, as he still requires additional conditioning.

Zion’s season got off to a rough start with a 27-game absence due to a hamstring injury. Even after returning, he had to be dropped from the roster because of conditioning issues. On top of that, missing the team flight for the Sixers game led to even more problems, in disguise of suspension and some brutal allegations. And last month, it was an illness that troubled him. But that’s all in the past now. The team isn’t rushing him back onto the court, fully aware of his injury history and the need to manage him carefully moving forward.

Besides Zion, the team is dealing with a lengthy injury list, with several other key players sidelined. Dejounte Murray has a right Achilles rupture, while Brandon Boston Jr. sprained his left ankle. But that’s not all. An illness is keeping Jamal Cain ruled out, and Herb Jones is dealing with a torn rotator cuff. On the flip side, Sacramento’s injury list is quite short, with only Isaiah Crawford and Devin Carter on it, giving them an advantage in the matchup. But the biggest blow for the Pelicans has to be Zion’s absence.

Zion Williamson’s absence could cost the Pelicans in this matchup

With a rough 12-42 record already, this only adds to the Pelicans’ struggles, as they’ve proven to be much weaker without Zion on the court. Even with Zion Williamson scoring 33 points in the last game, the Pelicans couldn’t secure a win. Now, taking on the Kings without him just makes the challenge even harder.

This will be Zion’s 37th game missed this season. In the 18 games he’s played, the 24-year-old forward has averaged 24.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5 assists. While he’s clearly got the talent to run the offense, it hasn’t really translated into wins for the team. With him in the lineup, the Pelicans are 4-14, and without him, they’ve struggled even more, going 8-28.

To see how things unfold tonight for both teams, tune in at 8:00 PM ET and watch the Pelicans welcome the Kings to the Smoothie King Center for a Western Conference clash.