Zion Williamson Set to Miss Matchup With OKC Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder will play host to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday in a Nationally Televised contest inside the Paycom Center. Pelicans star Zion Williamson will miss this game with a hamstring injury that is sidelining him indefinitely.
Nov 1, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the second half at Paycom Center. New Orleans won 110-106. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Nov 1, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the second half at Paycom Center. New Orleans won 110-106. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

This have not gone according to play for the 3-7 New Orleans Pelicans. After navigating their way through the NBA Play-in Tournament a year ago, the Pelicans earned the No. 8 seed in the NBA Playoffs before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

This offseason, the Pelicans bolstered their roster with the addition of Dejounte Murray and were banking on injury luck swinging their way during the 2024-25 NBA campaign to be able to put it all together. So far, that has not happened.

New Orleans is in a dire situation with their injury report rivaling the length of a CVS receipt. On Saturday, it was announced star forward Zion Williamson is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury, which rules him out for Wednesday's clash with the Thunder set to be broadcasted on ESPN.

Williamson joins Murray on the shelf among others. Jordan Hawkins is also sidelined multiple weeks ruling him out for Wednesday's contest, Herb Jones and Trey Murray are each battling injuries that have left them sidelined and CJ McCollum has not suited up since Oct. 29 with an ankle injury.

Oklahoma City is dealing with their own injury issues. The Thunder are without their entire front court depth missing Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams as they have all season.

This game has quickly shifted from a fun playoff rematch to an unrecognizable cast of charecters on the other side. The Thunder have been dominate so far this season to the tune of an 8-1 record and Wednesday looks more and more like a must-win game given who the Pelicans can roll out there.


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Rylan Stiles
RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is Lead Beat Writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network.