Zion Williamson Clears Health and Safety Protocols, Rejoins the New Orleans Pelicans

The New siege of Orleans Pelicans played two games without power forwards Sion Williamson in the lineup shoemaker's last calendar week after he entered the NBA’s COVID wellness and refuge protocols. He’s now cleared to run inwards Mon night’s gamey against the IN Pacers.

The Pelicans (20-12) are -6.5 favorites at nursing home against the visiting Pacers (17-16) tonight. During games at the Smoothie B. B. King Center inwards New siege of Orleans this season, the Pelicans are 13-4 on their home court.

The Pelicans are 17-15 against the spread head this season, but they’re 10-3 at place when oddsmakers instal them as the favorite.

The Pelicans are currently the #2 seed inward the horse opera Conference behindhand the capital of Colorado Nuggets (21-11). Without Williamson in the previous 2 games, the Pelicans defeated the San Antonio Spurs and OK City Thunder. They requisite an overtime session to fend turned the pesky Thunder on Friday.

The Pacers fill eighth localize inward the Eastern Conference. If the harden ended today, the Pacers would live headed to the Play-In Tournament. The Pacers had a bumpy month with a 5-8 put down since the terminal of November.

Zion the Leading Scorer on High-Flying Pelicans

The Pelicans are the third-highest scoring team up inward the NBA this season averaging 117.9 points per game. As the Pelicans’ leading scorer, Williamson averages 25.2 points per spirited inwards 25 games this season. He’s the second-best rebounder on the team up averaging 7.2 boards per game. He’s also dishing 4.7 assists per game, patch contributing 1.2 steals per game.

Williamson missed all of finally harden with a fractured foot, and the Pelicans relieve managed to chela their way of life into the 2022 Western Conference Play-In Tournament. With Williamson at total strength this season, the Pelicans are competing for a #1 playoff seed with the premier teams inwards the Western Conference.

Williamson picked up the scoring relax for an injured small forrad Brandon Ingram. Ingram is nearly to escape a 14th gamy inwards a row patch nursing a toe injury. In 15 games this season, Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per spunky as the Pelicans’ second-best scorer and playmaker.

The Pelicans have often to a greater extent deepness this season, which is why they more than held their possess without Williamson and Ingram inward the lineup. Williamson missed septet games this season, including deuce games after a scary fall down in late October against the Utah Jazz. He also missed iii games with a pick contusion in November.

Overall, the Pelicans posted a 5-2 record inward games without Williamson this season, including their most-recent back-to-back victories.

McCollum: “Zion Unleashed”

It takes a lot to imprint NBA veterans, but Pelicans shooting ward CJ McCollum is astounded with what Williamson effected this season.

You’re starting to insure Sion unleashed,” McCollum said in a recent tower inwards Andscape. “I’m not going to say it’s his best constitute because he’s 22, he’s going to catch better. But this is him maximizing his potential, his acquisition localise and utilizing everything.”

McCollum was vital of Williamson’s aloofness lastly season. Williamson was not living inwards New Orleans piece he rehabbed his foot injury, and did not come out on the bench during games. All parties chalked the incident upwards to inexperience, but Williamson at present has veterans that will stay fresh him accountable for his actions on and sour the court.

Williamson sat on bench inward street clothes during the Pelicans’ feed inward the 2022 Western Conference Play-In Tournament. They secured the #8 seed, but were bounced inwards the number one round of the playoffs past the top-seeded capital of Arizona Suns. Despite the opening-round exit, the Pelicans caught their first tasting of the postseason.

With a level-headed Williamson playing the best globe of his immature career, fans in the Big Easy are excited at the opening of a deep playoff go this season.

Finding Value Bets on the Pelicans

The Pelicans are +2000 betting odds to win the 2022-23 NBA championship, according to an update past DraftKings. While they mightiness non be ace of the top side contenders to win a championship, the Pelicans offer up tremendous note value in group discussion and segmentation futures.

The Pelicans are +850 to win the Western Conference rubric and untroubled a trip to the 2023 NBA Finals. They’re the sixth-highest team up on the futures board, but they’re clustered unitedly with the frontrunners in the conference. Over the utmost ii weeks, the Pelicans found themselves inwards a tight defend for the #1 seed with the Mile-High City Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies are the betting favorite to win back-to-back southwestern United States Division titles at -160 odds. The Pelicans are +170 betting odds to win their first-ever sectionalisation rubric spell playing below the “Pelicans” moniker. In 2007-08, the New Orleans Hornets went 56-26 and won the team’s only southwestern United States crown.