Pelicans expect Zion back next week against Spurs
Zion Williamson, the top choice in last summer’s NBA draft, is scheduled to make his regular season debut for the Pelicans on Jan. 22 when New Orleans hosts the San Antonio Spurs, Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin said Wednesday.
“Everything’s moving in the right direction,” Griffin said. “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.”
Williamson 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 the former Duke star’s return calls for Williamson to miss three more games, starting with tonight’s home game against Utah.
“From a sustaining health standpoint, we’re certainly going to treat him differently,” Griffin said. “It’s not about a hard minutes restriction. It’s about what the bursts need to look like. It’s what you’re measuring him by. When you return to play from a serious injury, it’s not going to be a number. He’s going to play in limited numbers of bursts.”
The Pelicans have gone 15-26 without Williamson but have won nine of their past 13 to pull within four games of the final Western Conference playoff spot. MURRAY INJURED IN NUGGETS’ WIN >> Rookie reserve Michael Porter Jr. scored 19 points, recent call-up P.J. Dozier had a big Denver debut filling in for injured point guard Jamal Murray in the second half, and the Nuggets beat the Charlotte Hornets 100-86 at home. Murray exited the game with 1:32 remaining in the second quarter after rolling his left ankle.
Dozier finished with 12 points in 13 minutes, including a stretch in the second half where he scored nine straight for the Nuggets.
HARRIS SCORES 34, LEADS SIXERS PAST NETS >> Tobias Harris scored 34 points, including two big baskets in the final two minutes that proved to be the difference, as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Brooklyn Nets 117106.
Ben Simmons had 20 points and 11 assists for the 76ers, who improved to 19-2 at home.
PISTONS DOWN CELTICS >> Sekou Doumbouya scored a season-high 24 points, and the Detroit Pistons snapped a three-game losing streak with a 116-103 road win over the Boston Celtics. The Pistons shot a season-best 60.3%.
Boston was without its second-leading scorer with Jayson Tatum sidelined because of soreness in his right knee. But he is expected to travel with the team for its matchup with Milwaukee tonight.
NUNN SCORES 33 AS HEAT EDGES SPURS >> Kendrick Nunn scored 33 points, Goran Dragic added 17, and the Miami Heat held on to beat the San Antonio Spurs 106-100 at home and move back into the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference. Miami improved to 18-1 at home, one win shy of matching last season’s home win total.
DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points for San Antonio.
POWELL HELPS RAPTORS HOLD OFF THUNDER >> Norman Powell scored 23 points, and the Toronto Raptors held off a rally to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 130-121. Dennis Schroder scored 25 points for the Thunder, which cut a 30-point deficit to three before Toronto held on.