One New Orleans Pelicans star will play vs. Sacramento Kings. Another is now questionable
The New Orleans Pelicans provided updates on their two biggest stars going into Wednesday’s game against the Sacramento Kings.
CJ McCollum has been cleared to play in the first game of a back-to-back set against Sacramento at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, but Zion Williamson is now considered questionable.
McCollum was originally listed as questionable due to personal reasons after missing Monday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. McCollum scored 31 points in a 123-118 loss to the Kings on Saturday in Sacramento, going 10 of 19 from the field and 6 of 11 from 3-point range.
Williamson was downgraded to questionable Wednesday due to return to competition reconditioning. Williamson has only appeared in 17 games this season, mostly due to a hamstring injury that caused him to miss 27 games.
The Kings had no answer for Williamson in Saturday’s win over the Pelicans. The 6-foot-6, 284-pound forward put up a season-high 40 points, going 16 of 21 from the field and 8 of 11 at the free-throw line.
Williamson is averaging 23.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists while shooting 53.6% from 3-point range this season. He has averaged 26.0 points on 68.6% shooting in nine career games against Sacramento.
The Kings (27-26) are coming off back-to-back wins over the Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks. They are ninth in the Western Conference with the same record as the No. 10 Golden State Warriors and a one-game lead over the No. 11 Phoenix Suns.
The Pelicans (12-41) are last in the West with the second-worst record in the NBA. They have lost nine in a row since McCollum poured in 45 points in an overtime win over the Utah Jazz on Jan. 20.
