Joel Embiid, Zion Williamson Wow NBA Twitter in Dynamic Battle as Pelicans Beat 76ers
Dec 31, 2022
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) drives against Philadelphia 76ers forward P.J. Tucker and forward Tobias Harris (12) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
In a clash of titans, it was Zion Williamson left standing at the expense of Joel Embiid.
The New Orleans Pelicans superstar went off for 36 points and five rebounds against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night, leading his team to a 127-116 win.
Embiid didn't exactly roll over without a fight. The superstar center had a vintage performance of his own, putting up 37 points and eight rebounds while trying to will his team to a tough road victory.
But the one-two punch of Williamson and CJ McCollum (42 points, career- and franchise-high 11 threes) was too much to overcome.
McCollum was shooting fireballs from beyond the arc all night long:
PJ Tucker is guarding Zion like a bag of bricks sitting in the middle of train tracks. Probably not going to derail it, but let’s just see what happens.
It was an incredibly impressive offensive showing from the Pelicans (23-12), especially without Brandon Ingram available because of a toe injury.
For the Sixers (20-14), meanwhile, it was a second straight loss after an impressive eight-game winning streak.
The good news for the Sixers was that star guard Tyrese Maxey returned after a lengthy layoff. The bad news was that he struggled in his return, coming off the bench to post just nine points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field in 19 minutes. Some rust was to be expected, however, after missing over a month.
It didn't help that James Harden had a particularly odd game, offering up a 20-point, 10-assist double-double but also adding seven turnovers on the evening, and he only attempted eight shots from the field.
It may not have mattered had he played better. This night clearly belonged to Zion's bulldozing drives into the lane and McCollum's sniper-scope precision. Had the Sixers played a perfect game, maybe they could have overcome that duo's offensive fireworks.
But they didn't play a perfect game, and they left New Orleans with a loss.
CJ McCollum on Pelicans' Plan: Get the Ball to Zion 'and Get the F--k Out of the Way'
Dec 30, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 4: CJ McCollum #3 of the New Orleans Pelicans high-fives teammate Zion Williamson #1 during the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 4, 2022 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
The New Orleans Pelicans currently occupy the top seed in the Western Conference with a 22-12 record, and a lot of that has to do with the return of 2019 first overall pick Zion Williamson.
The Duke product, who missed the entire 2021-22 season because of a nagging foot injury, has returned to being mostly healthy this season, picking up right where he left off when he last took the court.
The 22-year-old is averaging 25.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 26 games while shooting 60.7 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from deep.
According to CJ McCollum, the team's game plan this year is to run the ball through the 6'6" forward.
"Get the ball to Z and get the f--k out of the way," McCollum said when asked to describe the team's strategy late in the game, per The Athletic's William Guillory.
If Williamson can stay healthy, the Pelicans will be a real threat to capture the Western Conference crown for the first time in franchise history. Additionally, the team is hoping to make a run to the NBA Finals for the first time ever.
Zion Williamson Placed in Health and Safety Protocols, Out for Pelicans vs. Spurs
Dec 21, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 12: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans warms up prior to the start of an NBA game against the Houston Rockets at Smoothie King Center on November 12, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will be out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the San Antonio Spurs after being placed in the league's health and safety protocols, per ESPN's Andrew Lopez.
This marks the sixth game the 22-year-old will miss this season, as he also missed time earlier this year with injuries to his foot and his hip.
When healthy, Williamson has displayed the skills that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. He is averaging 25.2 points on 60.3 percent shooting with 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists. It's been a welcome sight to see him back on the floor after his lost 2021-22 season.
However, the Duke product was forced to miss the entire year after undergoing foot surgery and dealing with complications in his recovery. It was yet another setback in the early part of his injury-riddled NBA career, as he was limited to 24 games as a rookie and appeared in just 61 games in his sophomore campaign.
While Williamson is sidelined, the Pelicans will rely on the potent scoring tandem of Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum to shoulder the load on offense. Ingram missed time earlier this season while he was in concussion protocol.
New Orleans will likely split Williamson's minutes at power forward between third-year pro Naji Marshall and veteran big man Larry Nance Jr.
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Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis Headline Latest NBA 2K23 Ratings Update
Dec 15, 2022
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - DECEMBER 13: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans in action during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena on December 13, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
After some dominant performances last week, New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson and Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis headline the fifth batch of ratings updates for NBA 2K23.
Williamson made the biggest leap this week, getting a four-point boost to 92 overall. The 22-year-old has scored over 30 points in four out of his last seven games. On the season, he's averaging 25.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 61.0 percent from the field.
Despite the Lakers' struggles, Davis has looked like one of the best players in the NBA. He's had at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in five out his last six appearances, the only outlier being when he exited early against the Cleveland Cavaliers because of an illness. For his efforts, Davis was bumped up one point to 94 overall.
Other notable players to get a ratings increase this week are Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (89, +1), Washington Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis (87, +2) and Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson (85, +1).
Zion Williamson Is a Legit MVP Candidate, and the Pelicans Are Legit Contenders
Dec 12, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 09: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans dunks the ball during the fourth quarter of an NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Smoothie King Center on December 09, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans did more than break an unwritten (and probably unnecessary) rule over the weekend. They signaled their arrival to the bona fide contenders tier with back-to-back wins over the Phoenix Suns that solidified their position atop the Western Conference.
As time wound down in the first contest against Phoenix with the game already in hand, Zion punctuated the win with a 360 windmill fit for the dunk contest.
Chris Paul and the Suns, of course, took exception. The teams had an informal, we'll call it "meeting," in the immediate aftermath. Backup Suns guard Cameron Payne called the finish unsportsmanlike after the game.
Zion's explanation, on the other hand, may open a window to what's driving him and his team to its current level.
ZION on his 360 windmill at the end of the game
"That was a little out of character for me but you got to understand, they sent my teammates home last year. I missed all last year...If they was to do the same thing, I wouldn't have a problem with it."pic.twitter.com/3o6eaZanRO
Zion is hungry. And few players are feasting quite like he is this season.
The two points he collected from the now-infamous dunk brought him to 35 that night. Sunday, he went for the same total, albeit with Devin Booker unavailable for the Suns this time.
In the seven games since Brandon Ingram left the rotation with a sprained big toe, Williamson is averaging 30.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks. Most importantly, the Pelicans have won all of those games.
During the most recent victory, New Orleans fans broke out the MVP chants, and there's some legitimacy to them.
"Zion is quickly moving up the MVP ladder," Suns color commentator Eddie Johnson tweeted after the game. "He is a serious problem and if his jumper keeps improving he might eventually lead league in scoring this year. Impressive."
Zion probably started a little too slowly to catch the likes of Luka Dončić (32.9 points per game), Giannis Antetokounmpo (31.9), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30.8) or the handful of others at or around 30 points per game this season, but that shouldn't take him out of the MVP discussion.
Prior to Sunday's win, he cracked the top 10 of Basketball Reference's MVP Tracker. And given Nikola Jokić securing the award from third place in 2021 and sixth place in 2022, there will be a lot of media pushing the "best player on the best team" criteria this season.
Jayson Tatum has been great for the Boston Celtics, but the heavy MVP chatter he's gotten is largely driven by that philosophy. Statistically, he's not on the same level as Luka, Jokić, Giannis or maybe even Anthony Davis. But his team is dominating, and he's clearly the best player.
Now, the talent, versatility and length of Zion's Pelicans are giving Tatum some company in this discussion.
New Orleans has loads of firepower in its starting five. His shooting numbers are down this season, but CJ McCollum had averaged at least 20 points in each of his seven seasons prior to this one. Ingram is now working on his own four-year streak with a 20-plus scoring average. Even Jonas Valančiūnas has quietly averaged 15.4 points in just 25.9 minutes (21.5 per 75 possessions) since the start of the 2017-18 season.
And of course, Zion is one of the most prolific volume scorers we've ever seen. No, really. Joel Embiid (30.4), Michael Jordan (30.3) and Luka (29.1) are the only players in league history with a higher average than Zion's 28.6 points per 75 possessions (and none of their true shooting percentages are close to Williamson's).
But scoring is just the tip of the iceberg here. The depth (and, bear with me here, length of that depth) appears to be legit.
Herbert Jones: career averages of 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per 75 possessions with a 7'0" wingspan
Trey Murphy III: averaging 12.9 points with a 40.1 three-point percentage and a 7'1" wingspan
Larry Nance Jr.: career averages of 12.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per 75 possessions with a 7'2" wingspan
Naji Marshall: shooting a career-high 35.5 percent from three with a 7'1" wingspan
Those four, Ingram and Williamson give head coach Willie Green loads of optionality with his lineups. For example, Valančiūnas starts at the 5, but the Zion/Nance frontcourt is dominant and often closes games. With Ingram and Jones out, Marshall played in crunch time against the Suns.
And somehow, this far into the piece, we haven't even mentioned Jose "Grand Theft" Alvarado, the diminutive pest/guard who's already cultivated a rivalry with CP3, has his own signature play and singlehandedly swung a game against the Denver Nuggets with 38 points.
His competitiveness and savvy alone make New Orleans' bench interesting. When surrounded by some of the aforementioned forwards and wings, he pilots one of the best benches in basketball.
New Orleans can play big, small or positionless. And, when healthy, any variation can feature two or three high-end scorers.
None are more dangerous, though, than Zion.
Throughout the history of the league, having a top-10(ish) player has basically been a prerequisite to competing for a title.
During his breakout 2020-21 season, Zion looked like he could be that level of player. During 2021-22, he had to watch his teammates from the beginning of the campaign to the painful end. That experience clearly impacted him, and he now looks every bit like the kind of player who can not only check the "best player on the best regular season team" box for MVP discussions—he can also be the best player on a real title contender.
Pelicans' Zion Williamson 'Got Carried Away' on Game-Ending Dunk vs. Suns
Dec 10, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 9: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans dunks the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns on December 9, 2022 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson sent a message with a game-ending dunk in Friday's 128-117 win over the Phoenix Suns:
The Suns seemingly took offense to the big dunk when the game was already decided on Friday, with Chris Paul and Cameron Payne among those arguing with Pelicans players after the final whistle.
Williamson explained his mindset on the dunk after the game, per ESPN's Andrew Lopez:
"That was a little out of character for me. But you've got to understand—I mean, you can understand it or not—they sent my teammates home last year.
"I missed all last year. I got carried away a little bit. I admit that. But you know, I was in that locker room when my brothers were down because the Suns sent us home last year. That's a tough moment to be a part of. So, in that moment, I got carried away. I admit that. ... If they were to do the same thing, I wouldn't have no problem with it."
Phoenix had eliminated New Orleans in the first round of the playoffs last season, although Williamson missed the series after being out all year with a foot injury.
Williamson has been a difference-maker upon his return, averaging a team-high 24.5 points per game to go with 7.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He scored 35 points on 13-of-17 from the field in Friday's win as the Pelicans improved to 17-8, the best record in the Western Conference.
The latest victory not only helped avenge last year's playoff loss, it was a statement against the team that finished last year as the No. 1 seed in the West.
New Orleans lost its first game of the year in Phoenix, but Friday's win served as redemption in front of the home fans at the Smoothie King Center.
There is also already some tension between the two sides, including with guards Jose Alvarado and Chris Paul, as Alvarado alluded to after the game.
It's understandable for Williamson to emphasize the emotional win with a monster dunk.
Of course, the two teams play again on Sunday before traveling to Phoenix on Dec. 17 for the final matchup of the year between the two sides. There could be some retaliation in the coming games if the Suns are able to get the upper hand in those contests.
Will the NBA Ever Get a Ja Morant vs. Zion Williamson Rivalry?
Nov 16, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 15: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 15, 2022 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
From the moment they were drafted a pick apart in 2019, Ja Morant and Zion Williamson seemed destined to spend a decade co-headlining the NBA's next great rivalry.
Two South Carolina products from the same AAU squad, each blessed with celestial athleticism and swag. Small-market saviors and surefire leaders of teams on the rise.
Tuesday's tilt between Morant's Memphis Grizzlies and Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans was exactly the kind of back-and-forth, emotionally charged meeting we all thought we'd get several times a year and, with any luck, in a handful of playoff series...with one small problem.
Williamson was on the sidelines nursing a foot injury in New Orleans' 113-102 victory.
He missed a hell of a game, one defined by Morant's ceaseless effort to pile highlight upon highlight and the Pelicans' CJ McCollum-led three-point awakening.
Morant ticked all the top-play boxes as only he could.
We got a half-court heave at the end of the first quarter.
That's a switch-hands-in-midair, wrong-footed jam with the off hand. The mind reels in search of a comparably rare sight. This isn't the unicorn of open-floor highlights. It's more like a unicorn that also tap dances and spins plates while reciting the first 1,000 digits of pi backward.
It was the kind of play that begged for a one-to-one response. Williamson, who once did this, would have been the right guy to offer one.
A reminder for the TL about that Zion dunk against the Kings
The Pelicans fought back collectively instead. New Orleans canned a season-high 18 triples, and McCollum busted out of a slump to score 30 points.
Meanwhile, Larry Nance Jr. cemented his status as the team's closing center, and Jose Alvarado made his customary "unwrapped roll of Mentos dropped into a Diet Coke" impact on the proceedings.
As November NBA games go, this was a 10 on the intensity scale. Everyone was amped, including the normally poised McCollum, who nearly truck-sticked an official after a dubious foul call, and Trey Murphy III, who started in Zion's place and peppered in poster dunks to complement the 30-footers he seems to hit once or twice every night.
Morant, who led all scorers with 36 points, traded "too small" jabs with Alvarado as Jaren Jackson Jr. loomed large in his season debut, finishing with five blocks in 25 minutes.
Imagine what Williamson would have added to a game that already had so much going for it.
But that's been the issue with Williamson to this point in his career, and it's the defining contrast between him and Morant. We've had to speculate on Williamson's ceiling, wonder about his fit on a winner and question whether he's actually a franchise pillar.
Sure, there've been moments when Williamson looked the part of a worthy Morant foil, like when he averaged 27.0 points across the 61 games he logged in 2020-21.
But injuries have interrupted Williamson's progress and chiseled away at his athletic supremacy, while defensive shortcomings and a broader uncertainty about his role on offense make him something less than a no-questions-asked cornerstone.
For Morant, no such questions exist. They've been replaced by exclamations.
O'Neal is a little out over his skis on this one, but at the very least, we can agree Morant's resumé marks him as a foundational talent separate from and above whatever class Williamson occupies.
He topped Zion for the Rookie of the Year award in 2019-20 and led the Grizz to 56 wins last season while finishing seventh in MVP voting, earning Most Improved Player honors and an All-NBA second-team nod. This season, he's leveled up again by adding a three-point shot.
Though Zion is 4-0 in head-to-head meetings with Morant, it's a pretty small sample size, with the last contest coming all the way back on Feb. 16, 2021. That speaks to Morant's development in the intervening time, just as it underscores how Williamson's progress has been derailed by long layoffs.
The Grizzlies superstar is brash enough to create new nemeses on a nightly basis. Everybody wants a piece of a player—and, by extension, a Memphis team as a whole—that thrives on confrontation and whose playing style basically demands it.
Alvarado was a predictable foe on Tuesday, but as effective as the Pels' reserve is in his role, he's not Morant's rival.
We've searched for one. Perhaps Anthony Edwards will fit the bill one day. Maybe even Stephen Curry. But no natural counterpart has emerged yet.
There's a Zion-sized void to be filled here. He and Morant came up on similar paths and seemed to have similar futures—until they diverged.
There are a million reasons to hope Williamson regains the force and bounce he showed earlier in his career. A return to equal footing with Morant is one of the biggest.
If these two could realign after a couple of years apart, we'd get the rivalry we (and they) deserve.
