Circle the date
Zion Williamson (finally) ready to make his NBA debut.
Zion Williamson, the top choice in the NBA draft this past summer, is scheduled to make his regular-season debut for New Orleans next Wednesday night when the Pelicans play host to the the San Antonio Spurs.
“Everything’s moving in the right direction,” David Griffin, the Pelicans basketball operations chief, said Wednesday. “I really believe very strongly he is a radically improved physical version of himself in way that frankly we took the extra time to ensure.”
The former Duke star has missed New Orleans’ first 41 games this season while rehabilitating from arthroscopic surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee. The timeline set for his return calls for him to miss three more games, starting at home Thursday night against Utah.
New Orleans also will play host to the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday and visit Memphis Monday.
Griffin also indicated that Williamson’s minutes will be closely monitored and
Game: Boston Celtics (27-11) at Milwaukee Bucks (36-6), Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wis.
When: 8 p.m.
TV: TNT.
The skinny: The Bucks, who have the NBA’s best record, have lost only three times since Nov. 8.
likely limited for the time being.
“From a sustaining health standpoint, we’re certainly going to treat him differently,” Griffin said.
The Pelicans have gone 15-26 without the 6-foot-6, 285pound Williamson, but have won nine of their past 13 to pull within four games of the final Western Conference playoff spot with half the season left.
Williamson returned to practice Jan. 2 and more recently has been seen dunking during Pelicans pregame warm-up sessions.
Mavericks
Dallas power forward Kristaps Porzingis planned to return Wednesday night against the Sacramento Kings after missing the previous eight games with right knee soreness. Porzingis remained questionable on the NBA’s official injury report. The Mavericks went 4-4 without Porzingis, whose recovery was complicated by an illness that prevented him from working out for a few days. Porzingis is averaging 17.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in his first season with the Mavericks.
Warriors
As expected, guard Damion Lee signed a multiyear contract with Golden State. The team also brought back forward Marquese Chriss as a two-way player after he had been waived to clear room for Lee’s promotion. With Lee coming up, that left an open two-way spot, and Chriss came through waivers and was available. The 22-year-old Chriss will split time with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the G League. He has provided a boost for the injury-plagued Warriors after signing as a free agent in late September, averaging 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 17.7 minutes over 37 games with three starts.