Zion Williamson hurt

Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a posterior hip contusion (bruised hip), forcing him to miss the finish of Sunday’s Pelicans game against the Utah Jazz, the team announced. Williamson took a hard fall in the second half after Jordan Clarkson …

Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a posterior hip contusion (bruised hip), forcing him to miss the finish of Sunday’s Pelicans game against the Utah Jazz, the team announced. Williamson took a hard fall in the second half after Jordan Clarkson blocked his dunk attempt in transition. Herb Jones eventually subbed in for Williamson.

Source: The Athletic Staff, William Guillory, The Athletic Staff and William Guillory @ The Athletic

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Zion Williamson exits due to injury #NBA
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/14…5:10 AM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
The Pelicans lost Brandon Ingram early and then Zion Williamson late. But they still almost beat a Utah Jazz team that’s much better than anyone anticipated.
Don’t fret this loss. Instead, pray for quick, healthy returns of New Orleans’ two stars. https://t.co/Dnm06xhp40 pic.twitter.com/TZAtozlVFP1:58 AM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Zion Williamson suffers hip contusion after being blocked by Jordan Clarkson sportando.basketball/en/zion-willia…1:45 AM
Mike Prada @MikePradaNBA
Pels’ D with Zion and JV on the floor tonight was concerning, given the Jazz’s pick-and-roll heavy attack. But the switch-everything approach at the end with Nance offers some room for optimism
Shoutout to the kid on the Pels’ feed shouting DE-FENSE as loud as humanely possible – 11:22 PM
Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Pelicans say Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a posterior hip contusion. He missed finish of tonight’s Pelicans-Jazz game. – 10:16 PM
Andrew Lopez @_Andrew_Lopez
Pelicans say Zion Williamson did not check back in because of a posterior hip contusion. – 10:11 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Pels say the official diagnosis for Zion Williamson is a posterior hip contusion – 10:11 PM
Andrew Lopez @_Andrew_Lopez
Willie Green says Zion did not go back in the game because of something injury related.
Zion took a hard fall with 6:48 left in the fourth quarter. – 9:58 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Zion Williamson didn’t return to tonight’s game for injury-related reasons, per Willie Green. – 9:58 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Willie Green said his choice to not sub Zion back in the game late was injury related. – 9:58 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Kelly Olynyk hits a tough scoop shot to give the Jazz the lead. CJ McCollum’s prayer at the buzzer hits the back of the rim.
Pels lose, 122-121, in OT to fall to 2-1. Great effort from the Pels to make the comeback and force OT w/o Zion or BI. Just not enough in the end. – 9:47 PM
Andrew Lopez @_Andrew_Lopez
FINAL: Jazz 122, Pels 121
– CJ: 28p, 12a
– Zion: 25p, 6r, 10/16 FG (didn’t play final 6:48 4Q or OT)
– Trey: 16p, 9r
– Larry: 10p, 7r, 6a
Pels lose on the Kelly Olynyk scoop layup with 3.1 left in OT. – 9:47 PM
Christian Clark @cclark_13
Final: Jazz 122, Pelicans 121
Kelly Olynk’s runner wins it.
Pels came back from 17 down to force OT. Played without Ingram and Zion for the last 8 minutes of the fourth/all of OT.
New Orleans is 2-1. Plays Dallas on Tuesday. – 9:47 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Have to wonder if Zion Williamson was ruled out medical. If there was ever a time to bring him back in the game this is it – 9:43 PM
Sarah Todd @NBASarah
The defensive Zion issues are going to make things really interesting when it comes time for playoffs if the Pels make it – 9:30 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Pels have made this huge run with Ingram injured and Zion benched for bad defense. They’ve been rolling with Nance, Murphy, Jones, McCollum, and Alvarado. – 9:30 PM
Scott Kushner @ScottDKushner
Erasing a 19-point deficit in 8 minutes without Zion and Ingram is a hell of a statement.
Finishing it in OT is a more meaningful one though. – 9:30 PM
Andrew Lopez @_Andrew_Lopez
No Zion on the floor to start overtime.
Willie Green sticking with the group that got the Pelicans back in the game. – 9:29 PM
Christian Clark @cclark_13
Headed to OT. Pels trailed by 17 points with 9:43 remaining. Almost the entirety of the comeback is without Zion or B.I. – 9:27 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Jordan Clarkson misses the shot at the buzzer after Pelicans make a wild comeback in the 4th.
We’re headed to OT. Looks like Pels will have to pull this one off without Zion or BI. – 9:27 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Willie Green’s coaching flipped this game. Sat Zion, sat Jonas, put in Nance and Murphy and started switching everything. Just a phenomenal adjustment. – 9:22 PM
Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
12-0 Pelicans run to tie the game late 4Q without Zion or Brandon Ingram on the floor. – 9:21 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Zion Williamson was checked out by a trainer on the bench, stood up afterwards and stretched once in reaching for his toes, and now he’s just sitting there among teammates. Just razor-focused on the action on the floor. It appears that he’s okay. – 9:10 PM
Ben Anderson @BensHoops
Wow good for Jordan Clarkson for not giving up on that play but scary fall for Zion Williamson.
Completely clean block, bet Zion hasn’t been on the losing end of that play very often. – 9:08 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Zion Williamson just suffered a really HARD fall, slamming into the ground back first from the apex of his dunk-attempt jump, but it wasn’t a dirty play by Jordan Clarkson. – 9:07 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Zion looks like he is staying in the game. Good news – 9:07 PM
Christian Clark @cclark_13
You could hear Zion hit the deck on the main concourse. Scary fall. He looks shook up but he’s staying in the game. – 9:07 PM
Andrew Lopez @_Andrew_Lopez
What a play by Jordan Clarkson.
Zion took a nasty fall but he’s up and good. But Clarkson got all ball as he blocked the Zion dunk attempt. – 9:07 PM
Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
zion please be ok – 9:07 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jordan Clarkson blocks Zion Williamson, and Zion loses balance and falls hard on his back. Hope Zion is ok – 9:07 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Zion takes a hard fall after Jordan Clarkson blocks his dunk attempt in transition.
Williamson gets up a little slowly, but he’ll remain in the game. – 9:07 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Looks like JC got all-ball against Zion. Good thing they showed the replay — Smoothie King Center was about to riot after Zion landed hard. – 9:06 PM
Ryan Miller @millerjryan
Jordan Clarkson just sent Zion Williamson tumbling to the court with a huge block. Scary fall. But, wow, what a block. – 9:06 PM
Sarah Todd @NBASarah
Jordan Clarkson just blocked the world out of Zion. It was all-ball I’m pretty sure – 9:06 PM
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Jazz are now up 17 in New Orleans with 10 mins left after Jordan Clarkson blowby on Zion – 9:02 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Rudy Gay successfully defending Zion Williamson in the post on 2 straight possessions – 8:59 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
End of the 3rd: Jazz 93, Pels 84
Williamson 24 pts & 6 rebs
McCollum 13 pts & 7 assts
Valanciunas 6 pts & 9 rebs
Pels are still struggling to gain any rhythm on offense with BI done for the night. But it has to start with them really locking in on D. It’s been rough on that end – 8:57 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
End 3Q: Jazz 93, Pelicans 84. Upon review, Beasley’s buzzer-beater counts. But otherwise, Utah’s 3Q-closing lineup of Conley, THT, Beasley, Gay, and Kessler struggled a bit on both ends. Markkanen 29/9. Williamson 24/6. – 8:56 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
You know, with Brandon Ingram out, the Pelicans have been riding Zion Williamson much more than usual.
All of these reps could jolt him into regaining his dominating ways faster, maybe as soon as tonight. – 8:54 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
End of the 1st half: Jazz 63, Pelicans 53
Williamson 12 pts & 4 rebs
McCollum 11 pts & 4 assts
Ingram 10 pts
Pels trail by double digits after a sloppy half on both ends. Still waiting on an update on Brandon Ingram after he left the game in the 2nd quarter. – 8:13 PM
Andrew Lopez @_Andrew_Lopez
HALF: Jazz 63, Pels 53
– Ingram: 10p, 4/5 FG (left game in 2Q)
– Zion: 12p, 4r, 3 fouls
– JV: 4p, 5r, 3a, 3 fouls
– CJ: 11p, 4a, 2 fouls
Jazz – 14p off 8 Pels TOs
Pels – 5p off 7 Jazz TOs
Pels: 44.9 FG%, 3/13 3P, 6/8 FT
Jazz: 42.9 FG%, 6/18 3P, 15/17 FT – 8:12 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Big steal for Devonte’. Now he hits a pull-up 3-pointer. Much needed positive minutes for him.
And Zion Williamson just brought the house down with a thunderous dunk off a half-court lob from CJ – 7:47 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Halfcourt lob to Zion. Y’know, as you do. – 7:47 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Zion halfcourt lobs are officially back – 7:47 PM
Andrew Lopez @_Andrew_Lopez
The halfcourt oops are back.
CJ released that from beyond the line and Zion finished it. – 7:47 PM
Scott Kushner @ScottDKushner
Zion attacking the rack for buckets.
It clears space for Murphy on the perimeter.
That’s basically how the Pelicans drew it up. – 7:43 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Nice strip by Te’, an even better find in hitting the trailer on the break.
Zion Williamson needed that dunk. – 7:41 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
End of the 1st: Jazz 26, Pelicans 24
Ingram 10 pts (4-5 FG)
McCollum 6 pts
Williamson 4 pts – 7:37 PM
Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Zion Williamson’s had a bit of a tough first quarter. Two of his attempts were no-doubt rejections and then he picked up moving screen violation just before the end of the frame.
Jazz showed just as much grit/toughness as the Pelicans. New Orleans trails 26-24. – 7:37 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Walker Kessler absolutely erased Zion with a two-handed block – 7:33 PM
Jason Calmes @BourbonStShots
You can see why Jazz are surprising teams early. They’re working so hard defensively and Vanderbilt is a hawk. I would simplify things and give Zion the ball near the baseline and just let him bruise his way to the rim and the line. -MP – 7:26 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Gonna be tough for the Jazz to deal with Zion – 7:21 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Took Zion 4.5 minutes to get his first FGA, but he went right over Olynyk for an easy bucket – 7:21 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Jazz start with Vando guarding Zion – 7:14 PM
Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
New 2s for Zion tonight. 👀 pic.twitter.com/1ho5gperWF7:03 PM

Will Guillory @WillGuillory
Pelicans starters:
CJ McCollum
Herb Jones
Brandon Ingram
Zion Williamson
Jonas Valanciunas – 6:42 PM
Will Guillory @WillGuillory
It’s been 961 days since Zion Williamson played a regular season game in the SKC with normal attendance.
That streak ends tonight. pic.twitter.com/qIPrsMYLJc6:08 PM

Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Suns out guns out as Zion gets in work before the Pelicans home opener pic.twitter.com/EDsAiTm38B5:57 PM

Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
The Lakers going 25-57, winning the lottery and watching Wembanyama with Zion would be an all-time NBA story. – 4:48 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
After upsetting a pair of teams expected to be among the West’s best, the Utah Jazz are now set to face Zion Williamson and impressive young Pelicans on Sunday. Their game plan remains the same: work harder, and do the little things better. sltrib.com/sports/jazz/20…1:00 PM
David Locke @DLocke09
60 second Utah Jazz game day preview for the 2-0 Utah Jazz v. 2-0 New Orleans Pelicans and Zion Williamson
youtube.com/shorts/T8DCEe0…12:13 PM

More on this storyline

Matt Williams: Zion Williamson has averaged exactly 20.0 paint points over his last 66 games, dating back to the Orlando Bubble. The only player to average 20 paint points over a longer span in the last 25 years? Shaquille O’Neal -via Twitter @StatsWilliams / October 20, 2022
The Pels ranked second in the NBA in points in the paint that season, trailing only Memphis, and they scored at least 60 points in the paint 22 times. Last year, that number dropped to eight, but that was without Williamson. There won’t be much opposing defenses can do to stop this frontcourt from putting constant pressure on the rim. “It’s part of our DNA. Last year, we were a team that (drove) the ball to the paint. We looked for ‘paint-to-great’ situations (and) we crashed the offensive glass,” Green said. “Tonight, we put it all together. It’s a really good start. I’m proud of our guys.” -via The Athletic / October 20, 2022
Brian Lewis: Kevin Durant on Zion Williamson: “He looked healthy to me.” #Nets #Pelicans -via Twitter @NYPost_Lewis / October 20, 2022