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New Orleans Pelicans All-Star forward Zion Williamson has revealed he will not be returning to the lineup until his body responds in the right way.
Pelicans star Zion Williamson injured his right knee in January and has not played an NBA game since
Zion working his way back to action for the Pelicans
With Oklahoma City hosting New Orleans on Wednesday night in a Western Conference play-in game, Williamson's extended absence looms particularly large.
In the event of a loss, the losing team is done for the season, while the winner lives on to face top-seeded Denver in the conference's first round of the playoffs.
Williamson said he has to overcome “a little bit of a mental battle” because of a setback in his recovery that prevented him from participating in the All-Star Game.
“When I reaggravated it back in February, it was tough. So, when I got to make certain moves, there is that hesitation,” Williamson said.
“I understand the magnitude of these games coming up and I don’t want to be out there hesitating or doing something that may affect my team in a bad way.”
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Big picture
For the Pelicans to be successful they need Zion on the court and if they do manage to get past Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder, they will need Zion to play a significant role in whatever aspirations they have of making a decent run.
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