The New Orleans Pelicans still sit at the bottom of the Western Conference, but they have found some form lately, winning the last two games. Back-to-back wins have restored belief as they close a three-game road trip in Oklahoma against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, January 27. Zion Williamson’s dominant stretch over the last ten games has helped them turn the tide. He will be crucial for the Pelicans once again, but a lot depends on his availability.
Is Zion Williamson playing tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder?
The Pelicans‘ cornerstone, Zion Williamson, is available to face the OKC Thunder away from home. Before Friday’s game, Zion had recorded only one double-double this season, but he has now recorded a couple of double-doubles in the last two games, highlighting that he has been crucial for their change in fortunes in recent times.
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Zion and Saddiq Bey shared an identical stat sheet with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists as they won 104-95 against the Spurs in the previous game.
Jan 7, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson warms up with a smile before a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
In the last 10 outings, Zion has scored 20-plus points on eight occasions. This clears all the doubts around his fitness and current form.
The 25-year-old has had some injury trouble, but he has still managed to put up strong numbers even when the Pelicans have struggled to secure results. Zion is averaging 22.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest across 32 games this season.
The Pelicans have already played the Thunder twice this season, both in November, and the reigning champions emerged victorious on both occasions. Zion played in only one of them, and he finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in a 106-137 defeat for the Pelicans.
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New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Report
While Zion Williamson’s participation is confirmed, there are several other players who will miss this clash between the two teams from the Western Conference. While the Pelicans are in a better situation with injuries right now, the Thunder have a lot to ponder. Let us take a closer look at the injury reports.
New Orleans Pelicans Injury Report
The Pelicans have been plagued with several injury problems throughout the ongoing season, but currently, they have most of their players available for selection. The only player who continues to remain on the sidelines for them is Dejounte Murray.
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The star guard is yet to make his season debut for the Pelicans as he is out with an Achilles injury. Although he is making progress, as per Pelicans head coach James Borrego, Murray is still not ready to return to action just yet.
Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Report
As for the OKC Thunder, there are multiple concerns for this game. A bunch of players from their starting lineup and rotation are out with injuries, which has seen them lose the last two games. Starting with Cason Wallace, who is listed as questionable for this game due to a hip issue.
In terms of absentees, the likes of Alex Caruso, Ajay Mitchell, and Isaiah Hartenstein are all unavailable for this contest. Caruso is out with a right adductor strain, Mitchell is down with an abdominal strain, and Hartenstein has a calf issue. Similarly, Jalen Williams is out for two weeks with a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Nikola Topic continues to be on the sidelines as a long-term absentee.
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Predicted starting lineup for New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder
Based on the NBA injury reports, here’s how teams could lineup for Tuesday’s showdown.
The Pelicans will continue with the winning team, as things are working really well for them in the last couple of games. Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey will take up the offensive onus, while Trey Murphy and Herb Jones will hope to keep the backcourt afloat. Meanwhile, the Thunder will depend on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to do the heavy lifting as they continue to miss multiple players from their rotation.
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