Zion Williamson is below the microscope after he skilled some soreness in his left ankle. After a yr and a change of coping with numerous narratives about his damage historical past, Williamson knew that NBA Twitter would blow up as soon as his damage information got here out on Wednesday.
“Twitter already did its factor,” Williamson stated jokingly, per ESPN. “They’re the docs, apparently.”
Williamson prevented severe damage and is predicted to be day-to-day shifting ahead, in response to him and Coach Willie Inexperienced. Inexperienced added that Williamson isn’t anticipated to overlook an prolonged time period and clarified that he eliminated Williamson from Wednesday’s recreation towards the Miami Warmth for precautionary causes after he rolled his ankle early within the second quarter whereas he drive to the rim.
Williamson tweaked his ankle after he planted his left foot making an attempt to get into the lane round Warmth heart Dewayne Dedmon. He performed one other three minutes earlier than trying out for good with 11 factors, two rebounds, and 4 assists on 3-7 capturing from the sector and 5-6 from the free-throw line.
“It was a type of issues the place it occurred, and I popped again up, like, ‘Yeah, I’m straight,’” Williamson stated. “Performed a couple of minutes after that, it felt advantageous. Then they despatched me to the again simply to double-check. We needed to take a look at it, had a doc take a look at it, and he simply stated just a little day-to-day soreness. And, however exterior of that, I personally really feel advantageous. Wasn’t unhealthy information from the docs.”
Going into Friday’s preseason finale towards the Atlanta Hawks, the Pelicans hope they will play their projected beginning lineup. The group hasn’t performed collectively but whereas Brandon Ingram recovers from left fifth toe soreness. CJ McCollum has solely performed in two preseason video games after Wednesday. Ingram instructed ESPN that he “felt good” and that his rehab has put him ready to play on Friday.
New Orleans begins the season with an Oct 19. matchup towards the Brooklyn Nets.