Zion Williamson will miss his first game of the 2026-27 NBA season on Monday, with the New Orleans Pelicans listing the star forward as out due to rest for their matchup against the Golden State Warriors. The decision comes as New Orleans looks to recover from a 139-123 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, a defeat that saw the Pelicans allow their second-most points this season. Williamson had just delivered a dominant performance in the previous contest, scoring 25 points on perfect 9-for-9 shooting and grabbing four rebounds, but the team opted to manage his workload during this back-to-back stretch.
Williamson sits out back-to-back game as New Orleans seeks bounce-back performance
The Pelicans enter Monday’s game without two of their top four scorers, as Trey Murphy III is also listed as out. Despite the absences, Williamson’s early-season impact has been significant, averaging 21 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.2 steals per game over his first 10 appearances. This current run marks his most consistent stretch in recent years, following a 2025-26 campaign where he appeared in 62 games, the second-highest total of his career. His availability has been a critical factor in New Orleans’ offensive rhythm, providing a reliable scoring threat that has been absent in previous seasons.
Injuries and conditioning issues have defined Williamson’s seven-year NBA career, with the 6-foot-6 forward missing 278 games, including the entire 2021-22 season due to a broken right foot. Selected No. 1 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, Williamson’s health has remained a central narrative for the franchise. As the Pelicans face the Warriors, the focus shifts to whether the team can maintain its competitive edge without its primary offensive engine, testing the depth of a roster that has shown flashes of potential but remains vulnerable to key absences.
Source: Yahoo Sports
