Zion Williamson has played in a career-high 65 games this season, never being sidelined for consecutive contests at any point during the 2023-24 campaign. His ability to add to that tally Friday vs. San Antonio is uncertain, but the two-time All-Star power forward received good news when tests were done Thursday on a finger on his left (shooting) hand. The 23-year-old sustained a contusion after trying to block a fast-break layup by Orlando’s Jalen Suggs in Wednesday’s loss to the Magic.
“Z’s good,” third-year head coach Willie Green said after Thursday’s practice. “X-rays (were) negative. (On the) MRI, everything structurally was fine. He has some soreness in his finger.”
Asked about Williamson’s playing status against the Spurs, Green indicated that it is to be determined.
“We’ll know more probably tomorrow,” Green said, with the Pelicans scheduled to hold a shootaround Friday morning. “We’ll see. We’ll see what happens.”
Other notes from Thursday’s practice:
New Orleans (45-31) has dropped to seventh place in the Western Conference, but remains in the midst of a tight race for a higher seed, trailing fifth-place Dallas by a half-game. Green wants his team to remain composed as urgency mounts to turn around a 1-4 record on this homestand.
“Adversity is going to happen at some point,” Green said. “You’re going to run into some moments where we’re not playing our best, playing against some tough opponents.” …
Green on Brandon Ingram (knee) and Jose Alvarado (oblique): “They’re good. Steadily improving.” Both players have been listed as out on recent day-before-game injury reports. The Pelicans will submit their IR for the San Antonio game prior to today’s 5 p.m. local deadline. …
Improbably, three Pelicans players were ejected in the final seven seconds of Wednesday’s game vs. Orlando (Trey Murphy, Dyson Daniels, Herb Jones). Murphy indicated that he was aware why he was kicked out by a referee: “I said a few things that I guess the referee didn’t like, and I got ejected.” Daniels was less clear on why he was disqualified, saying, “I don’t know what Trey and Herb said. I think (the official) was just angry in the moment. Anything he heard, you were going to get thrown out unannounced. I don’t know why I got thrown out, either.” …
There were a few hard fouls and physical plays Wednesday. Asked if he’s noticed an increase in physicality since the All-Star break around the league, Murphy concurred: “All these games I’ve been watching, they’ve all been playoff-like. Everyone is raising their intensity right now.”
Daniels: “I think it’s a lot more physical, and one of the reasons is people are fighting for playoff spots now. It’s really close in the West, even the East as well. People are fighting for their team, every possession counts more, there is more on the line now.” …
Murphy on the mood for Pelicans players in their locker room: “People have a sense of urgency. People are a little angry and (ticked) off, because we want to win right now. We want to get back to the playoffs. That’s been our goal since the beginning of the season. We’re trying to make sure that’s accomplished.”