Pelicans' make second half push behind Zion "Thanos" Williamson?
In about a three minute span, Zion had all the infinity stones.
He mustered the strength of the Power Stone to snag a board over seven-foot Jakob Poeltl. Showed glimpses of quickness and explosiveness using the Space Stone. Trapped the Spurs players in an endless loop of letting him shoot uncontested threes with the Time Stone. Kept head coach Alvin Gentry at bay from taking him out the game using the Mind Stone. Brought the loudest excitement from fans in the Smoothie King Center this season with the Soul Stone. And finally, showed us an alternate reality that could’ve been the Pelicans had he been healthy with the Reality Stone.
It is not an exaggeration to say that Zion Williamson had the best debut he could’ve had in his first game from meniscus surgery in his right knee. In just 18 minutes, the No. 1 pick had 22-points, seven rebounds, and three assists, going four for four from deep. After a slow start, he brought the Pelicans back against the Spurs, even taking the lead, scoring 17 points straight. But to the dismay of Zion and the fans, he was pulled from the game with 5:23 left as Gentry had to stick to a strict minutes restriction set by general manager David Griffin.
When speaking post-game about Zion’s availability at that point in the game, Gentry quickly shot down Zion going back in. “And no, he couldn’t go back in the game, so don’t go there,” said Gentry. “Just because the medical people said that was it.”
However, Zion didn’t share that same sentiment, desperately wanting to get back into the game. “It’s very hard,” Williamson said. “I’m 19. Honestly, in that moment, I’m not thinking about longevity. I’m thinking about winning the game.”
Now as time passed from the Zion experience, it gave me time to think about what could be in the Pelican’s immediate future. After winning 10 of their past 14 games they are only four games out from the eighth seed in the playoff standings with the second half of the season still to go. I believe it is possible for them to make that spot if they get that type of play from Zion as he flowed seamlessly in the flow of the game. He was active on the boards and made the right basketball play when Spurs sent help his way, showcasing his IQ. In this play, he recognizes that there’s no big man in the paint and immediately goes to seal in the post:
He also recognized that defenders were giving him space from three and instead of forcing his way down the lane, he settled for open shots, which he knocked down. One of my favorite plays he made was this play when he immediately saw the help come and threw a nice touch pass to a cutting Brandon Ingram:
Also, contributing factors like excellent play from rising star B.I. and their core players getting back healthy makes you want to buy into that stock. Lonzo Ball is his last 12 games is averaging 16 points, 8.4 assists, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 39-percent from deep as he had injuries early in the season. Zo is looking more comfortable running the offense than earlier on in the season, choosing when to shot the ball in rhythm off the dribble rather than waiting around. Also, he is being more aggressive which allows the Pelicans to play at a faster pace. Jrue Holiday is back after missing two weeks of action, showing us why teams want to trade for him with great performances. He matched a season-high of 36 points in a win over the Grizzlies ending their win streak.
The Pelicans just need to keep Zion healthy and this could propel them to that coveted playoff spot. Of course, Griffin and Gentry don’t want to push the young star, it justs all about managing his minutes and making sure he gets rest when necessary. If Lonzo keeps progressing into the player he is supposed to be and B.I. continues to shine, the Pelicans might just keep Holiday and see if they can make this run. And just imagine this team meeting the Lakers in the first round. The circus that would be is what fans want.
Let’s see if Zion can use the power of the stones again as the Pelicans host the Denver Nuggets tonight at 8 p.m ET.
