CHICAGO (AP) \u2014 Injury-plagued forward Zion Williamson returned to the New Orleans Pelicans\u2019 lineup against the Chicago Bulls in a game-time decision Sunday night.<\/p>\n
Williamson, the NBA\u2019s top draft pick in 2019, most recently missed five games with a right hip adductor strain<\/a>. Four separate injuries have limited the two-time All-Star to just 10 games this season for the Pelicans, who entered Sunday at 4-22 and last in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t start, but entered the game off the bench 4:35 into the first quarter.<\/p>\n Williamson is averaging 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 30.9 minutes. He had a season-high 29 points when the Pelicans defeated the Bulls 143-130 on Nov. 24 in New Orleans to end a nine-game losing streak.<\/p>\n Interim coach James Borrego<\/a> praised Williamson for working hard to recover more quickly than expected from the adductor strain.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s done a heck of a job to get to this point, if you want to call it ahead of schedule\u201d Borrego said.<\/p>\n Williamson, who missed eight consecutive games earlier this season with a strained hamstring<\/a>, did not play as a precaution in the second game of a back-to-back on Nov. 30 in Los Angeles against the Lakers, but he was not listed on the injury report after that game.<\/p>\n He went on the report on Dec. 2 before New Orleans hosted Minnesota.<\/p>\n The depleted Bulls played without guard Ayo Dosunmu (sprained thumb) on Sunday, but guard Kevin Huerter returned after missing four games with a left adductor strain. Seven Chicago players, including guard Coby White, were under minutes restrictions.<\/p>\n The Bulls and Pelicans both snapped seven-game losing streaks with road wins on Friday night.<\/p>\n See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here<\/a> to report it. Please include the headline.<\/p>\n