Zion Williamson has made a tremendous impact on the floor over his first two games for the New Orleans Pelicans but the team has struggled with the No. 1 overall pick off of the floor.
Of course, the Pelicans are monitoring his workload and are playing him in short bursts. Williamson logged 18 minutes of work in his debut on Wednesday and 21 minutes in his second game on Friday. He is mostly playing 4-5 minutes at a time to begin each quarter.
The Pelicans have outscored opponents by 19 points with Williamson on the floor but are getting outscored by 30 points when he sits, according to NBA stats. The team is posting a 122.4 offensive rating with Williamson on the court, compared to just 99.2 without him.
Since making his debut, many former players have called for the Pelicans to increase his workload. However, the Pelicans have stuck with their game plan for him as they look to ease him into NBA action. They have been working closely with the medical staff to formulate a game plan for him.
Williamson is averaging 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists through two games. He is the first and only player in NBA history to score at least 15 points on 70% shooting or better from the field in his first two career games.
The Pelicans wrap up a three-game homestand Sunday night against the Boston Celtics.
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