Pelicans Scoop

Zion Williamson's Injury Status for Pelicans vs Magic

The New Orleans Pelicans could be without star Zion Williamson against the Orlando Magic.

Logan Struck

Nov 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) brings the ball up court against the Indiana Pacers during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Nov 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) brings the ball up court against the Indiana Pacers during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
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After losing six of their last seven outings, the New Orleans Pelicans are looking to get back on track on Friday against the Orlando Magic. The Pelicans went just 1-3 in their four-game home stand, so they head to Orlando with minimal momentum.

New Orleans has had poor injury luck to start their 2024-25 campaign. Offseason addition Dejounte Murray playing just one game before fracturing his hand, superstar Zion Williamson has already missed three of their first nine games, and standout guard CJ McCollum has been sidelined for the last five.

The Pelicans have not been able to power through these injuries, with much of the workload falling on star forward Brandon Ingram when his co-stars are out.

Ingram might have to do it himself again on Friday against the Magic, as Zion Williamson has been granted a "questionable" status for the cross-conference matchup.

Williamson is reportedly dealing with left hamstring tightness, but the Pelicans desperately need him on the court. New Orleans' slow start will be very challenging to recover from, especially if their key players continue to miss time.

Zion has been great to start the season, averaging 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, but the Pelicans are just 2-4 when the star forward is healthy.

The Magic are a tough, physical team, but have also had a disappointing 3-6 start to their 2024-25 season amid a five-game losing streak. Magic star forward Paolo Banchero has missed their last four games, so the Pelicans need to take advantage of Orlando's slump.

The Pelicans and Magic tip off at 7 pm EST on Friday.

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Logan Struck
LOGAN STRUCK

Logan Struck is a writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's On SI since 2023

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